1
as in spiritual
not composed of matter
as thin and unsubstantial as the wind
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in insubstantial
being of a material lacking in sturdiness or substance
unsubstantial wisps of lace
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in weak
lacking bodily strength
an unsubstantial child who was unfit to play sports of any kind
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unsubstantial
Still, Republicans plowed ahead with unsubstantial allegations of collusion between government officials and the company’s old regime.
—
Cat Zakrzewski and Cristiano Lima, Anchorage Daily News, 9 Feb. 2023
From a personal finance perspective, people with extra cash should feel free to put an unsubstantial portion of their wealth into high-risk, high-volatility assets like crypto or meme stocks or even Super Bowl bets (thanks for the two-touchdown performance, Cooper Kupp).
—Scott Nover, Quartz, 14 Feb. 2022
Brown dismissed it as cynical and unsubstantial.
—Lisa Mascaro, Star Tribune, 6 Mar. 2021
Plus, researchers would still have to clear the not-unsubstantial hurdle of clearing the compound for such use in humans.
—Lacy Schley, Discover Magazine, 18 July 2019
See All Example Sentences for unsubstantial
Cat Zakrzewski and Cristiano Lima, Anchorage Daily News, 9 Feb. 2023
From a personal finance perspective, people with extra cash should feel free to put an unsubstantial portion of their wealth into high-risk, high-volatility assets like crypto or meme stocks or even Super Bowl bets (thanks for the two-touchdown performance, Cooper Kupp).
—Scott Nover, Quartz, 14 Feb. 2022
Brown dismissed it as cynical and unsubstantial.
—Lisa Mascaro, Star Tribune, 6 Mar. 2021
Plus, researchers would still have to clear the not-unsubstantial hurdle of clearing the compound for such use in humans.
—Lacy Schley, Discover Magazine, 18 July 2019
See All Example Sentences for unsubstantial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unsubstantial
Adjective
-
Driven by Jonny Greenwood’s relentless score, the movie summons not only the images but the psycho-spiritual sensations of a country tearing itself apart.—
Graham Hillard,
The Washington Examiner,
3 Oct. 2025
-
Sarah Mullally will become the spiritual leader of the Anglican Church in January, a year after her predecessor resigned in a safeguarding scandal.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Republican lawmakers and state attorneys general have challenged the basis of those recommendations, arguing that the evidence used to support them is insubstantial.—
Selena Simmons-Duffin,
NPR,
1 Aug. 2025
-
Vague green claims won’t cut it anymore, as evidenced by a 2020 study from the European Commission, which found over half of environmental claims were insubstantial, misleading or unfounded.—
Alexandra Harrell,
Sourcing Journal,
2 July 2025
Adjective
-
Nobody can say that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a weak team.—
James Brizuela,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Sep. 2025
-
Akin to two boxers with weak chins slugging it out, Villa wanted to land another blow.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
29 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
In fact, magical life has the potential to be even more radically incorporeal than our own.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
26 June 2025
-
Indeed, in stark contrast to the incorporeal nature of a digital image, each of Winant’s photographs is, in a sense, a discrete body: a fallible material entity that boasts a hidden physical history and that will compositionally deteriorate over time.—
Jessica Simmons-Reid,
Artforum,
1 June 2025
Adjective
-
On the strength of flimsier-than-expected wins against Clemson and Florida, LSU was +1000 to win the national title last week, sixth-best in the country.—
Dan Santaromita,
New York Times,
30 Sep. 2025
-
People make close, intense bonds when stuck in the Big Brother house together, and Vince and Morgan’s dynamic crosses more lines with each passing day, emotional cheating threatening to tip into physical even as Vince continues to hopelessly cloak his feelings in flimsy analogies and code phrases.—
Ben Rosenstock,
Vulture,
27 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
This is a good spot for them, though, as Josh Allen will have a lot of time against a feeble Patriots pass rush, and some people might think the Patriots’ 42-13 win over the Panthers actually means something.—
Vic Tafur,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
-
In this scheme, free will was feeble, and sin could be blamed on dark forces inhabiting the body.—
Shai Tubali,
Big Think,
30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Best Gifts for Pisces Dreamy Pisces are creative and spiritual, so a journal, art set, or metaphysical kit with all of the essentials for a seance is a great gift idea.—
Jessie Quinn,
StyleCaster,
30 Sep. 2025
-
The fantastic is used to sketch out familiar story lines, but the metaphysical premise remains as vague as the dramatic stakes in the lives of the characters.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
18 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
No matter how far-fetched the premise or gossamer-thin the story, the musical invites (compels) us to go along with its essential surrealism, to travel to that dream space where everyday life suddenly moves and sounds deliriously out of this world.—
Manohla Dargis,
New York Times,
7 May 2020
-
For her label Anissa Aida, designer Anissa Meddeb, who lives in the capital, makes gossamer silk blouses evoking the striped motif of handwoven fouta towels and voluminous coats inspired by the burnoose cloaks worn by Berbers.—
Sarah Khan,
Condé Nast Traveler,
5 Feb. 2020
Cite this Entry
“Unsubstantial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unsubstantial. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.
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