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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of 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
Mosi Reeves, Rolling Stone, 13 June 2025
No debate, even a surprisingly substantive and lively one, will change that.
—Eric Lach, New Yorker, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for substantive
Adjective
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
Noun
The music itself is a bit more substantive, if only because hip-hop fans understand how crucial Rick is to the evolution of the culture.
—Mosi Reeves, Rolling Stone, 13 June 2025
No debate, even a surprisingly substantive and lively one, will change that.
—Eric Lach, New Yorker, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for substantive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for substantive
Adjective
-
Immigrants make substantial contributions to the U.S. economy while also helping raise the living standards in developing economies.—
Stephen Moore,
Boston Herald,
19 June 2025
-
Lory has 28 miles of trails, several with substantial climbs similar to Arthur’s Rock in ravines that have been remarkably green and lush this spring.—
John Meyer,
Denver Post,
19 June 2025
Adjective
-
Adding significant pieces on the open market is costly and risky, perhaps no more or less than daring to move on from Dobson.—
Rob Rossi,
New York Times,
28 June 2025
-
The company is trading at merely 0.4 times its potential revenues for 2030—a significant discount for a technology leader poised to grow from nothing to over $10 billion in revenue within a few years.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
Adjective
-
News of the plan, which was developed by city administrators but has not been publicly vetted or discussed, has provoked considerable consternation in political, downtown, cultural and preservation circles.—
Andres Viglucci,
Miami Herald,
26 June 2025
-
However, be cautious, as the sand and bits of material can fly out with considerable force.—
Andy Wilcox,
Better Homes & Gardens,
26 June 2025
Adjective
-
Bezos has made sizable contributions to Venetian charities in the lead-up to the wedding, including a million-euro donation to Corila, an academic consortium that studies Venice's lagoon ecosystem, Reuters reports.—
Rachel Treisman,
NPR,
23 June 2025
-
According to the Energy Information Administration, China’s primary oil sources are Russia, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Iraq and Oman, although a sizable portion of Malaysia’s exports are actually relabeled or transferred from Iran.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
23 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Substantive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/substantive. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
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