1
as in spiritual
not composed of matter
as thin and unsubstantial as the wind
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
The hit isn’t unsubstantial: In 2024, textile exports to the United States accounted for 10.7 percent of China’s total textile exports, valued at $14.8 billion, and 22.7 percent of China’s total apparel exports, or $36.1 billion’s worth.
—
Jasmin Malik Chua,
Sourcing Journal,
5 May 2025
The algorithm fed the Giants pitcher a savory yet unsubstantial diet of short-form content.
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Justice Delos Santos,
Mercury News,
31 Mar. 2025
Salads Salads don’t have to feel flimsy or unsubstantial.
—
Katie Workman,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
6 Sep. 2023
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
Jasmin Malik Chua,
Sourcing Journal,
5 May 2025
The algorithm fed the Giants pitcher a savory yet unsubstantial diet of short-form content.
—
Justice Delos Santos,
Mercury News,
31 Mar. 2025
Salads Salads don’t have to feel flimsy or unsubstantial.
—
Katie Workman,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
6 Sep. 2023
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
Adjective
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The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 on Tuesday that practitioners of the Falun Gong spiritual movement cannot sue tech giant Cisco over allegations of aiding the Chinese government’s surveillance and torture of the group.
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The 1970s were thick with New Age spiritual fads and movements, from the benign (crystals) to the unspeakably toxic and cultic (Jonestown).
Adjective
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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.
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The wall was as insubstantial as a set on a film studio’s back lot.
Adjective
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Depressed wages, a weak currency and hyperinflation have continued to make life difficult for ordinary Venezuelans, many of whom struggle to afford basic goods.
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There, the Sox scored on a weak, off-line throw from shallow left fielder José Caballero.
Adjective
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Followers of the Abrahamic religions are supposed to treat God as immaterial and incorporeal, yet these early Yahweh worshippers imagined him as fully embodied.
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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.
Adjective
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Using flimsy or degradable sealants that allow bats to reenter.
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Even the most memorable new character, Forky (Tony Hale)—an endearingly daffy piece of plastic cutlery with a tendency toward self-harm—could only reinforce the sense that we were being served a load of flimsy, disposable goods.
Adjective
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Jolted by a feeble office market, a growing number of developers are considering ways to convert their office properties to other uses, such as housing projects.
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Enervated cuteness and tryhard sincerity define a whole new wave of musicians, from Pittsburgh rockers feeble little horse to cringe-pop upcycler Worldpeace DMT to SoundCloud producer MASSI, whose songs spill with the tiny adorable detail of a toy train set.
Adjective
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In both the real and metaphysical locations of the show, the backgrounds are all painted by hand, something which was pointed out took up a lot of time due to the number of paintings in the show and due to the number of montages.
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In the 18th century Samuel Johnson coined the term metaphysical poets to criticize Donne, John Cleveland, and Abraham Cowley.
Adjective
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But a gossamer jacket tossed over a swimsuit on a breezy evening?
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The type of memory flashbacks that are shot at knee level, gauzy and out of focus, with a gossamer visual touch to conjure whispering, buried emotions of the past.
Cite this Entry
“Unsubstantial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unsubstantial. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.
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