substantive 1 of 2

adjective

ˈsəb-stən-tiv How to pronounce substantive (audio)
Definition of substantivenext
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

substantive

2 of 2

noun

as in nominal

Related Words

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 substantive
Adjective
Candidates who struggle to provide substantive answers—or who can’t name anyone without prompting—may often show this same pattern of taking solo credit throughout the interview and beyond. — Harvard Business Review, 24 Aug. 2026 Over the nine-minute session, Devers provided a substantive response in Spanish to every question thrown his way — every question but one. — Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 21 Aug. 2026
Noun
With his substantive, agreeably granular bass, David Grogan gave prophetic warnings real authority. — Dallas News, 23 Dec. 2022 California’s climate agenda mixes the symbolic with the substantive. — Los Angeles Times, 17 Nov. 2022 See All Example Sentences for substantive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for substantive
  1. substantial
  2. significant
  3. considerable
  4. sizable
Adjective
  • Its physical design is paired with substantial onboard computing, with three Turing AI chips providing up to 2,250 TOPS of effective computing power.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Instead of carrying one sandwich or a small box, it is built to move substantial cargo between locations.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of substantial
Adjective
  • Jenkins said sextortion is another significant concern that can impact children with law enforcement seeing particularly serious impacts among teen boys.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Construction on the new White House ballroom and demolition of the East Wing have faced significant legal challenges, though the Supreme Court recently ruled in a 5-4 decision that construction can continue.
    — Carter Schroppe, The Washington Examiner, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of significant
Adjective
  • The two London clubs’ transfer dealings got off to a controversial start with Ashley Cole’s infamous move from Arsenal, a deal clouded by accusations of tapping up and considerable hostility.
    — Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026
  • The completion of the Dolphin AIP programme therefore represents a considerable engineering achievement for TKMS, according to the company.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of considerable
Adjective
  • Only 13% of current billionaires are women—but as men over the age of 60 dominate the ultra-rich cohort, more than 1,235 female spouses (representing 90% of billionaire partners) will inherit a sizable chunk in the next decade.
    — Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Despite Republican campaign arms vastly out-raising their Democratic counterparts, individual Democratic candidates in battleground Senate races have a sizable cash advantage over their Republican competitors.
    — Mabinty Quarshie, The Washington Examiner, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of sizable

Browse Nearby Words

substantiations
substantive
substantiveness
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Cite this Entry

“Substantive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/substantive. Accessed 9 Sep. 2026.

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