substantial
adjective
sub·stan·tial
səb-ˈstan(t)-shəl 
1
2
: ample to satisfy and nourish : full
a substantial meal
3
a
: possessed of means : well-to-do
b
: considerable in quantity : significantly great
earned a substantial wage
4
: firmly constructed : sturdy
a substantial house
5
: being largely but not wholly that which is specified
a substantial lie
substantial
noun
Synonyms
Examples of substantial in a Sentence
A substantial number of people commute to work each day.
Activities like that pose a substantial risk of injury.
She purchased her tickets at a substantial discount.
Only the buildings that were constructed of more substantial materials survived the earthquake.
I was hoping that they would serve us something more substantial than wine and cheese.
Recent Examples on the Web
In London, where a substantial majority of pupils are now from an immigrant background, many from deprived families, the city outperforms the country as a whole by a considerable margin.
—
Jonathan Portes, TIME, 27 Apr. 2024
Their salt and pepper grinder set is super chic, substantial (yet easy to use) and looks great displayed on the counter.
—Brittany Talarico, Peoplemag, 26 Apr. 2024
Expect precipitation Kauai is generally warm and tropical year round, with substantial rain.
—Alesandra Dubin, Travel + Leisure, 26 Apr. 2024
The Encinitas City Council gave its initial approval to both sets of substantial price increases Wednesday, but said the increases will be revisited on an annual basis to determine if they are still warranted.
—Barbara Henry, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Apr. 2024
In turn, the conservative justices raised substantial questions about U.S. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar’s argument.
—Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 25 Apr. 2024
On Wednesday, the House Communication Standards Commission sent a letter to the Democratic official who filed the complaint saying its members unanimously found substantial reason to believe Edwards violated rules regarding franked mail.
—Danielle Battaglia, Charlotte Observer, 25 Apr. 2024
The Rambler 42-Ounce Straw Mug, in particular, is popular for its substantial size — a worthy opponent of the Stanley Quencher.
—Madison Yauger, Peoplemag, 16 Apr. 2024
Most notably, Verizon was a launch partner for Disney+, giving many of its customers one free year of the service, and helping Disney+ gain substantial market share early on.
—Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Apr. 2024
Jonathan Portes, TIME, 27 Apr. 2024
Their salt and pepper grinder set is super chic, substantial (yet easy to use) and looks great displayed on the counter.
—Brittany Talarico, Peoplemag, 26 Apr. 2024
Expect precipitation Kauai is generally warm and tropical year round, with substantial rain.
—Alesandra Dubin, Travel + Leisure, 26 Apr. 2024
The Encinitas City Council gave its initial approval to both sets of substantial price increases Wednesday, but said the increases will be revisited on an annual basis to determine if they are still warranted.
—Barbara Henry, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Apr. 2024
In turn, the conservative justices raised substantial questions about U.S. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar’s argument.
—Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 25 Apr. 2024
On Wednesday, the House Communication Standards Commission sent a letter to the Democratic official who filed the complaint saying its members unanimously found substantial reason to believe Edwards violated rules regarding franked mail.
—Danielle Battaglia, Charlotte Observer, 25 Apr. 2024
The Rambler 42-Ounce Straw Mug, in particular, is popular for its substantial size — a worthy opponent of the Stanley Quencher.
—Madison Yauger, Peoplemag, 16 Apr. 2024
Most notably, Verizon was a launch partner for Disney+, giving many of its customers one free year of the service, and helping Disney+ gain substantial market share early on.
—Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'substantial.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near substantial
Cite this Entry
“Substantial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/substantial. Accessed 2 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
substantial
adjective
sub·stan·tial
səb-ˈstan-chəl
1
a
: consisting of or relating to substance : material
b
: not imaginary : real
the substantial world
c
: important sense 1, essential
substantial differences
2
: enough to satisfy and nourish
a substantial meal
3
a
: prosperous sense 1
a substantial farmer
b
: considerable in quantity : significantly large
a substantial increase
4
: firmly constructed
a substantial building
Legal Definition
substantial
adjective
sub·stan·tial
səb-ˈstan-chəl
1
a
: of or relating to substance
b
: not illusory : having merit
failed to raise a substantial constitutional claim
c
: having importance or significance : material
a substantial step had not been taken toward commission of the crime—W. R. LaFave and A. W. Scott, Jr.
W. R. LaFave and A. W. Scott, Jr.2
: considerable in quantity : significantly great
identification of serious and substantial failure to perform—U.S. Code
compare de minimis
U.S. Code
substantially
adverb
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