substantial

adjective

səb-ˈstan(t)-shəl How to pronounce substantial (audio)
Definition of substantialnext
1
as in significant
having great meaning or lasting effect substantial changes to the school dress code that made a lot of people unhappy

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in large
of a size greater than average of its kind the amount he inherited was quite substantial, so he quit his job and set out to see the world

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in physical
relating to or composed of matter the Land of Oz turned out to be a world of dreams, even less substantial than a rainbow

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in considerable
sufficiently large in size, amount, or number to merit attention there's been a substantial increase in attendance at girls' volleyball games ever since the start of their winning streak

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of substantial The travel boom is unlikely to end this year or next barring a substantial economic downturn. — Josh Brown,sean Russo, CNBC, 27 July 2026 To address this challenge, the company has made substantial investments in new formulations for tile materials, standardizing shapes, and more. — Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 27 July 2026 All of Dach, Poitras and Geekie have played a substantial number of games in the NHL over the past three seasons. — Allan Mitchell, New York Times, 27 July 2026 However, the gap between the women’s race — the Tour de France Femmes — is even more substantial, as the 2026 race will only pay out about €250,000. — Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 26 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for substantial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for substantial
  1. significant
  2. large
  3. physical
  4. considerable
  5. major
  6. sizable
  7. concrete
  8. important
Adjective
  • Although the storefront marks a significant milestone, Thomas says the business has always been about preparing his daughters for the future rather than simply increasing sales.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 26 July 2026
  • Fresno County, the highest agricultural producing county in the state and nation, saw significant increases in agave production last year, The Fresno Bee reported.
    — Lizzie Kane July 26, Sacbee.com, 26 July 2026
Definition of significant
Adjective
  • Horn wants to build out a regional transit system in order to create new transportation corridors that could be used to connect lower-cost housing developments to larger cities across the metro.
    — Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 27 July 2026
  • If reliable payment flows depend on a small number of large miners or dedicated pools, Bitcoin payments could become faster and more commercial, but also more dependent on specific infrastructure providers.
    — Sean Lee, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
Definition of large
Adjective
  • Some in anthropology take this further, describing houses and homes as social and symbolic spaces rather than merely physical structures.
    — Belonging Forum, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
  • This was a different era, when most teams at that level would have played direct, physical football.
    — James Pearce, New York Times, 22 July 2026
Definition of physical
Adjective
  • All of that may drive people to consider a trip to the beach, but the weather service said that option could come with considerable danger this week.
    — Rick Hurd, Mercury News, 27 July 2026
  • Studies have shown that mosquitoes often show a consistent preference for some people more than others, often to a considerable degree.
    — Faith Wakefield, USA Today, 27 July 2026
Definition of considerable
Adjective
  • Yaks breed notoriously slowly, with females birthing just four or five offspring in their lifetime – a major challenge for their long-term survival.
    — Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 25 July 2026
  • The district, established in 1992, well after the Voting Rights Act, to help ensure Black voting power, is in the process of a major transition of leadership as Congresswoman Frederica Wilson winds down her final term.
    — Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 25 July 2026
Definition of major
Adjective
  • Impact craters are formed by sizable objects such as meteorites crashing into the Earth’s surface.
    — Megan Fahrney, ABC News, 24 July 2026
  • The France Under-20 international’s ceiling is extremely high, though, which is why Newcastle have invested another sizeable sum in someone who has only just celebrated his 20th birthday.
    — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 24 July 2026
Definition of sizable
Adjective
  • The building appears to be still in the framing stage with workers making adjustments to the concrete pylons as cars zip past.
    — Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 July 2026
  • Wednesday's press conference provided little new concrete information about the case but appeared to be part of an effort to spur faster action from law enforcement.
    — Elise Gregg, NPR, 22 July 2026
Definition of concrete
Adjective
  • Other issues important to him are allocating more money for the state’s infrastructure and funding for schools, according to his campaign website.
    — Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 26 July 2026
  • But the details are important, and the realization that not everything may be working efficiently or correctly.
    — Erik Sherman, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026
Definition of important

Browse Nearby Words

substandard
substantial
substantiality
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Cite this Entry

“Substantial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/substantial. Accessed 28 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of substantial for Spanish Speakers

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