unsubstantial

adjective

ˌən-səb-ˈstan(t)-shəl How to pronounce unsubstantial (audio)
Definition of unsubstantialnext
1
as in spiritual
not composed of matter as thin and unsubstantial as the wind

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in insubstantial
being of a material lacking in sturdiness or substance unsubstantial wisps of lace

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in weak
lacking bodily strength an unsubstantial child who was unfit to play sports of any kind

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 unsubstantial Then again … This really does sum up Reeves’s unsubstantial performance as Jonathan Harker, whose new client is definitely up to no good. — Tim Grierson, Vulture, 18 Oct. 2025 Yet for all its craft, the film remains airy and unsubstantial, never quite rising to the full potential of its premise. — Leila Latif, IndieWire, 31 Aug. 2025 The algorithm fed the Giants pitcher a savory yet unsubstantial diet of short-form content. — Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 31 Mar. 2025 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 See All Example Sentences for unsubstantial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unsubstantial
  1. spiritual
  2. insubstantial
  3. weak
  4. incorporeal
  5. flimsy
  6. feeble
  7. metaphysical
  8. gossamer
Adjective
  • Created with his wife Nkuthazo Alexis Dyalvane, the work incorporates cow hair, leather and grass, influenced by ritual adornments, reflecting ancestral knowledge, healing and spiritual transformation.
    — Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 29 Sep. 2026
  • The President of the United States (John Goodman) and his cabinet of hawkish generals, gargoyle-ish officials, and speaking-in-tongues spiritual advisors gather at the oilman’s house to discuss next steps.
    — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of spiritual
Adjective
  • Tying all this to a generic RPG progression system full of constant but insubstantial upgrades and resources feels more like busywork than anything else.
    — Jordan Minor, PC Magazine, 18 Sep. 2026
  • But too few of those ideas yield satisfying conclusions, resulting in a drama that becomes treacly and insubstantial, reaching for a profundity that remains elusive.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 16 May 2026
Definition of insubstantial
Adjective
  • Most franchise advertising does not fail because the brand is weak or the market is dry.
    — Jonathan Durante, Forbes.com, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Historically, midterm years see weaker returns, but better times await the following year , especially if there is gridlock from a divided Congress.
    — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of weak
Adjective
  • Followers of the Abrahamic religions are supposed to treat God as immaterial and incorporeal, yet these early Yahweh worshippers imagined him as fully embodied.
    — Manvir Singh, New Yorker, 9 Mar. 2026
  • Positioned as a large-scale genre event, the series updates the legendary SFX property with a contemporary political and social edge, with Shun Oguri leading the cast as a detective hunting a seemingly incorporeal killer.
    — Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 27 Jan. 2026
Definition of incorporeal
Adjective
  • The length of time for this flimsy assignment, even if primarily conducted in class, gives students ample opportunity to use AI between classes.
    — Neetu Arnold, Washington Post, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Hardened cockpit Flight deck doors pre-9/11 were often just as flimsy as the lavatory doors.
    — Jeff Price, The Conversation, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of flimsy
Adjective
  • Briogeo Destined for Density Serum The Briogeo Destined for Density Serum is a lightweight liquid formula that thickens feeble strands, plumps roots, and rapidly spurs new hair growth.
    — Sophie Wirt, InStyle, 17 Sep. 2026
  • There has to be something more than this, looking feeble against a rookie lefty with average stuff followed by the worst bullpen in baseball.
    — Matt Gelb, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of feeble
Adjective
  • Our work re-imagines these ancient tombs as theatrical spaces, built to perpetuate a form of metaphysical human experience.
    — Jacqueline Ortoleva, Scientific American, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Erectile dysfunction is a medical symptom and another metaphysical clue.
    — Zain Khalid, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of metaphysical
Adjective
  • These days we are surrounded by ghosts and gossamer visions vying for our attention, trying to tell us something vital—or as mundane as to shut up already, like in my case.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026
  • The gossamer thread holding the sacred feminine maelstrom together?
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of gossamer

Browse Nearby Words

unsubdued
unsubstantial
unsubstantiality
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Cite this Entry

“Unsubstantial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unsubstantial. Accessed 7 Oct. 2026.

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