1
as in potential
the basic elements from which something can be developed
many thought that the mayor's speech lacked substance because specific proposals for solving the city's problems were few
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in essence
the quality or qualities that make a thing what it is
tireless caring and nurturing that was the very substance of maternal love
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in wealth
the total of one's money and property
measure the worth of a person not by his earthly substance but by his good deeds
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in object
one that has a real and independent existence
the question of whether the soul is a substance entirely independent of the body
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of substance
The bill, known as Assembly Bill 1901, was introduced during the 2025–2026 legislative session and focuses on ingredient disclosure rather than banning specific substances.
—
Daniella Gray, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2026
Former Fleetwood Mac guitarist Lindsey Buckingham has reportedly been attacked with an unidentified substance.
—Christina Dugan Ramirez, FOXNews.com, 1 Apr. 2026
Court documents claim that no one informed Johnson of the dangers of the substance, which is the solid form of carbon dioxide.
—Madeline King, Chicago Tribune, 1 Apr. 2026
Lindsay Buckingham is uninjured after a woman attacked the rock musician with an unknown substance on Wednesday morning, according to multiple reports, including from the Los Angeles Times and NBC4 Investigates.
—Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for substance
Daniella Gray, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2026
Former Fleetwood Mac guitarist Lindsey Buckingham has reportedly been attacked with an unidentified substance.
—Christina Dugan Ramirez, FOXNews.com, 1 Apr. 2026
Court documents claim that no one informed Johnson of the dangers of the substance, which is the solid form of carbon dioxide.
—Madeline King, Chicago Tribune, 1 Apr. 2026
Lindsay Buckingham is uninjured after a woman attacked the rock musician with an unknown substance on Wednesday morning, according to multiple reports, including from the Los Angeles Times and NBC4 Investigates.
—Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for substance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for substance
Noun
-
When heavy rain occurs, there is a potential for flooding, particularly in areas that are low-lying or prone to floods.—
KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT,
Kansas City Star,
2 Apr. 2026
-
If there is a potential for temperatures to fall into these thresholds, a freeze watch may be issued a few days ahead of time.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Juliet is arguing that Romeo’s name is merely a label that does not define his essence.—
Steven P. Dinkin,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 Mar. 2026
-
But the soul and spirit of [the films and] the essence of the themes of those films, and the kids and all the artisans and the crafts people.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The pair are chaos agents who, in conferring the benefit of sudden wealth, lure the recipients into corruption.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
27 Mar. 2026
-
The order can directly affect your tax bracket, the longevity of your portfolio, and how much of your wealth continues to grow tax-advantaged.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Therefore, this light-blocking object has to be closer than those stars are, located much less than 100,000 light-years away at the most.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
26 Mar. 2026
-
One of the biggest headaches any launch with a hatch deals with is known as FOD, or foreign-object debris, which could be as small as a piece of hair trapped in the seal where the hatch closes.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
If the rock star is a romantic individual who expresses some inner truth through original music, the idol is an omnicompetent interpreter of material.—
Mitch Therieau,
New Yorker,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Andrade accused Uthmeier and foundation attorney Jeff Aaron of money laundering and wire fraud and turned over materials from his investigation to Campbell’s office and the FBI.—
Alexandra Glorioso,
Miami Herald,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Ask for a tour of the grounds and a nature walk to see the astounding green spaces, tropical trees, and untouched forest.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Investigators are now examining the wreckage to determine the exact nature of the malfunction.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In the event the digital assets go down in value, the mortgage loans don’t get affected if the owner keeps making the monthly payments.—
Carlos Garcia,
Fortune,
26 Mar. 2026
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Demand is being driven by a new wave of buyers, who are splashing out on travel and experiences rather than the more traditional assets.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
By giving multiple agencies access to the same drones, all participating entities can be under one program and avoid investing in dozens of drones with different software that wouldn't communicate with each other.—
Dillon Thomas,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
-
In many parts of Cook County, there are so many governmental entities grabbing a piece of the action that property tax bills look like grocery-store receipts.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Substance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/substance. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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