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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in nominal
Related Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of substantive
Bloomberg News, Boston Herald, 25 Oct. 2025
Brain rot is a slang term to describe content that has little to no artistic, educational or substantive value, according to KnowYourMeme.
—Diana Leyva, Nashville Tennessean, 24 Oct. 2025
Los Angeles Times, 17 Nov. 2022
Only seventeen members of Harmony, the party that represents the Russian minority and commands a substantive if declining amount of support, and two nonaffiliated members were opposed.
—Gordon F. Sander, The New York Review of Books, 6 July 2022
See All Example Sentences for substantive
Adjective
The final rule released by DHS doesn’t make substantive changes to that proposal.
—Bloomberg News, Boston Herald, 25 Oct. 2025
Brain rot is a slang term to describe content that has little to no artistic, educational or substantive value, according to KnowYourMeme.
—Diana Leyva, Nashville Tennessean, 24 Oct. 2025
Noun
California’s climate agenda mixes the symbolic with the substantive.
—Los Angeles Times, 17 Nov. 2022
Only seventeen members of Harmony, the party that represents the Russian minority and commands a substantive if declining amount of support, and two nonaffiliated members were opposed.
—Gordon F. Sander, The New York Review of Books, 6 July 2022
See All Example Sentences for substantive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for substantive
Adjective
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This move risks dangerous results from the military and security establishment in the country, as well as the substantial Cuban contingent working in the security sphere.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
8 Jan. 2026
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But an information-technology contract gone horribly awry on her watch resulted in late bills last year that required school districts throughout the county to borrow and pay substantial interest just to make payroll and cover basic expenses.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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That’s a significant contrast to other parts of the Forbidden City, marked by wide open spaces intended to represent the grandeur of imperial power and territory.—
Fred He,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
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This development poses potentially significant implications for American travelers and the airline industry dependent on reliable air transportation.—
Deputy News Editor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Colorado football's third season with Deion Sanders at the helm has been met with considerable headwinds.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
8 Nov. 2025
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The pleasant, polished drama provides a compassionate take on a high schooler undergoing considerable change, its only debit being the arguably too-neat depiction of that transitional circumstance.—
Dennis Harvey,
Variety,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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This compact yet sizable belt bag has a simple silhouette that looks very similar to the one Diaz just wore.—
Clara McMahon,
PEOPLE,
9 Jan. 2026
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Highly revered for its outdoorsy facilities, the low-slung La Reserve Hotel and Spa Geneva occupies a sizable, green patch alongside its namesake lake.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
8 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Substantive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/substantive. Accessed 9 Jan. 2026.
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