Synonyms of substantive

substantive 1 of 2

adjective

ˈsəb-stən-tiv 

as in substantial

sufficiently large in size, amount, or number to merit attention

they've made substantive changes in the nightly newscast

Synonyms & Similar Words

• substantial
• significant
• considerable
• sizable
• major
• good
• tremendous
• huge
• respectable
• healthy
• great
• handsome
• big
• goodly
• tidy
• massive
• largish
• biggish
• voluminous
• enormous
• hefty
• bulky
• colossal
• gigantic
• immense
• monumental
• oversize
• outsize
• astronomical
• prodigious
• mammoth
• monstrous
• herculean
• whopping
• titanic
• jumbo
• hulking
• elephantine
• bumper
• king-size

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• insignificant
• nominal
• negligible
• inconsequential
• insubstantial
• trivial
• inconsiderable
• unimportant
• petty
• marginal
• trifling
• puny
• meager
• slight
• paltry
• minute
• small
• little
• tiny
• piddling
• picayune
• measly
• diminutive
• undersized
• picayunish
• miniature
• smallish
• pocket
• bitty
• pocket-size
• pygmy
• pint-size

substantive

2 of 2

noun

as in nominal

Related Words

• nominal
• noun
• collective noun
• common noun
• proper noun
• count noun
• mass noun

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of substantive

Adjective

Some prominent liberal legal scholars even attempted to defend substantive-due-process rights using originalist and textualist methods. — Jeannie Suk Gersen, New Yorker, 2 July 2026

Prior Sacramento Bee reporting has shown that after setting the Vision Zero goal, the council has made no substantive changes to the way infrastructure projects are funded in the city. — Ariane Lange, Sacbee.com, 30 June 2026

Noun

Obstruction of justice is a crime that is independent of any underlying or substantives crime that may have been committed. — Joyce White Vance, Time, 25 July 2019

California’s climate agenda mixes the symbolic with the substantive. — Los Angeles Times, 17 Nov. 2022

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