Substantial
Meal portions, funding rounds, and edits that actually change an essay all qualify when small will not cut it.
Learn This WordMeaning
Of considerable importance, size, or worth; strongly built or made; concerning the essentials of something.
Memory trick
Think "SUB-STAN-TIAL" = "SUBSTANCE + TIAL (substantial)", has substance, is solid and large. Substantial = has real substance.
Examples
The company made substantial progress this quarter.
She inherited a substantial amount of money.
There is substantial evidence supporting the theory.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Etymology
From Latin substantialis "having substance or reality," from substantia "being, essence, material."
Usage Notes
Used to emphasize the large size, amount, or importance of something. Common in business and academic contexts.
Real-life contexts
Emphasize size: "We made substantial progress."
Describe amounts: "A substantial investment is required."
Use in reports: "Substantial evidence supports this."
Common Mistakes
Substantial means large or significant, not just existing. "Substantial evidence" means a lot of evidence, not just some.
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Part of Speech
adjective
Difficulty
intermediateMonthly Searches
~134,000
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