1
as in significant
having great meaning or lasting effect
substantial changes to the school dress code that made a lot of people unhappy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in large
of a size greater than average of its kind
the amount he inherited was quite substantial, so he quit his job and set out to see the world
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in physical
relating to or composed of matter
the Land of Oz turned out to be a world of dreams, even less substantial than a rainbow
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in considerable
sufficiently large in size, amount, or number to merit attention
there's been a substantial increase in attendance at girls' volleyball games ever since the start of their winning streak
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 substantial
Coed fashion stories, substantial coverage of the contemporary art scene, surprising interview pairings and minimalist layouts are among the key features of Numéro New York, the American edition of the French magazine.
—
Miles Socha, Footwear News, 9 Sep. 2025
Investors should weigh the substantial upside potential—as high as 40x, as noted in previous analysis—against a realistic view of timelines and associated risks.
—Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
The recent years’ massive increase in immigration helped to ease substantial labor shortages that occurred as the US economy quickly ramped up following the pandemic.
—Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2025
Both of those conditions are in play this year over substantial parts of quail range.
—Brandon Loomis, AZCentral.com, 9 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for substantial
Miles Socha, Footwear News, 9 Sep. 2025
Investors should weigh the substantial upside potential—as high as 40x, as noted in previous analysis—against a realistic view of timelines and associated risks.
—Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
The recent years’ massive increase in immigration helped to ease substantial labor shortages that occurred as the US economy quickly ramped up following the pandemic.
—Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2025
Both of those conditions are in play this year over substantial parts of quail range.
—Brandon Loomis, AZCentral.com, 9 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for substantial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for substantial
Adjective
-
The aircraft represents a significant investment of about $200 million for a single plane.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
5 Sep. 2025
-
However, there's a significant difference between containing and controlling a wildfire.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
China today accounts for seven of the world’s largest indoor ski resorts – only SnowWorld Landgraaf in the Netherlands, Alpincenter Hamburg-Wittenberg in Germany and Ski Dubai in the UAE made the global top 10 from outside of China, according to the report.—
Russell Flannery,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
-
According to Michigan's Department of Natural Resources, the Pigeon River State Forest is the largest swath of contiguous undeveloped land in the state's Lower Peninsula.—
Melina Khan,
USA Today,
10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The iPhone 17 is set to be the fourth gen of Apple smartphones without a physical SIM card slot in the US.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Even today, thousands of its physical records are stored in former limestone mines in Missouri and Pennsylvania.—
Eli Hager,
ProPublica,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The prize money at the US Open has seen considerable growth over the years.—
Maddie Garfinkle,
PEOPLE,
6 Sep. 2025
-
Nonetheless, London City Lionesses emerged with considerable credit from their first game at this level.—
Asif Burhan,
Forbes.com,
6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Here's your daily look at traffic on major highways in the Kansas City area.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
7 Sep. 2025
-
The closest major airport is Toronto Pearson International, with direct flights from New York, Chicago, Boston, and beyond.—
Alexandra Emanuelli,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Delaying this meal was linked with greater risk of death in a sizable 20-year study.—
Erica Sloan,
SELF,
4 Sep. 2025
-
It is surrounded by a sizeable black bezel.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The deeper Acosta dug, the more concrete his convictions became about how McCarthy’s standard — both for himself and others — would raise the expectations at IMG.—
Alec Lewis,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
-
One concrete action point is the social work done with prisoners in prison.—
Kristen Edgreen Kaufman,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Tire tread depth - Checking your tire tread before hitting the road is important, as low or no tread can lead to sliding.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
7 Sep. 2025
-
And that became a very important part of the character.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Substantial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/substantial. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share