adj · noun · 15 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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/səbˈstænʃəl/
Mid-Atlantic, US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:S AH0 B S T AE1 N SH AH0 L
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Having a substance; actually existing.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
substantial life
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adj
Meaning 2
Not imaginary; real; actual; true; veritable.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
1850s, Cardinal John Henry Newman, The Rise and Progress of Universities to do some substantial good, is the compensation for much incidental imperfection
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
adj
Meaning 3
Corporeal; material; firm.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
adj
Meaning 4
Having good substance; strong; stout; solid; firm.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
substantial cloth
a substantial fence or wall
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: sturdy
Antonyms: none provided
5
adj
Meaning 5
Addressing the substance of an injury
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: law
Examples
Substantial damages (i.e. damages set at a level that exactly covers the plaintiff's losses; synonym: compensatory damgages)
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
adj
Meaning 6
Possessed of goods or an estate; moderately wealthy.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
a substantial freeholder
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
adj
Meaning 7
Large in size, quantity, or value; ample; significant.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
He inherited a substantial amount of money from his uncle.
A substantial number of people went to the event.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: healthy, serious
Antonyms: none provided
8
adj
Meaning 8
Most important; essential.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
9
adj
Meaning 9
Satisfying; having sufficient substance to be nourishing or filling.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
I don't just want a snack; I need something substantial.
Teddy had a few crackers in his backpack, but he needed something more substantial if he was to survive a three-day trek.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
10
noun
Meaning 10
Anything having substance; an essential part.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
11
adjective
Meaning 11
having substance or capable of being treated as fact; not imaginary- Shakespeare
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
the substantial world
a mere dream, neither substantial nor practical
most ponderous and substantial things
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: real, material
Antonyms: insubstantial
12
adjective satellite
Meaning 12
fairly large
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
won by a substantial margin
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: significant
Antonyms: none provided
13
adjective satellite
Meaning 13
having a firm basis in reality and being therefore important, meaningful, or considerable
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
substantial equivalents
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: substantive
Antonyms: none provided
14
adjective satellite
Meaning 14
of good quality and condition; solidly built
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
a solid foundation
several substantial timber buildings
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: solid, strong
Antonyms: none provided
15
adjective satellite
Meaning 15
providing abundant nourishment
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
a hearty meal
good solid food
ate a substantial breakfast
four square meals a day
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: hearty, satisfying, solid, square
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
From Middle English substancial, substantiall, from Old French substanciel, substantiel and its etymon Latin substantiālis.
Across languages
Translations
118 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Azerbaijani:
maddi
— having substance, actually existing
Bulgarian:
материален
(materialen)
— having substance, actually existing
Bulgarian:
веществен
(veštestven)
— having substance, actually existing
Chinese Mandarin:
物質的 /物质的
(wùzhì de, wùzhí de)
— having substance, actually existing
Czech:
hmotný
— having substance, actually existing
Finnish:
todellinen
— having substance, actually existing
French:
substantiel
— having substance, actually existing
Galician:
substancial
— having substance, actually existing
Greek:
ουσιώδης
(ousiódis)
— having substance, actually existing
Hungarian:
lényeges
— having substance, actually existing
Italian:
sostanziale
— having substance, actually existing
Japanese:
物質的な
(busshitsu-teki na)
— having substance, actually existing
Japanese:
現実の
(genjitsu no)
— having substance, actually existing
Māori:
whaikiko
— having substance, actually existing
Portuguese:
substancial
— having substance, actually existing
Romanian:
substanțial
— having substance, actually existing
Russian:
веще́ственный
(veščéstvennyj)
— having substance, actually existing
Russian:
материа́льный
(materiálʹnyj)
— having substance, actually existing
Spanish:
sustancial
— having substance, actually existing
Spanish:
substancial
— having substance, actually existing
Arabic:
حَقِيقِيّ
(ḥaqīqiyy)
— not imaginary; real; veritable
Bulgarian:
реален
(realen)
— not imaginary; real; veritable
Bulgarian:
действителен
(dejstvitelen)
— not imaginary; real; veritable
Chinese Mandarin:
實際 /实际
(shíjì)
— not imaginary; real; veritable
Czech:
opravdový
— not imaginary; real; veritable
Finnish:
todellinen
— not imaginary; real; veritable
Greek:
ουσιώδης
(ousiódis)
— not imaginary; real; veritable
Hungarian:
való
— not imaginary; real; veritable
Hungarian:
valódi
— not imaginary; real; veritable
Japanese:
現実の
(genjitsu no)
— not imaginary; real; veritable
Japanese:
実際の
(jissai no)
— not imaginary; real; veritable
Russian:
настоя́щий
(nastojáščij)
— not imaginary; real; veritable
Russian:
реа́льный
(reálʹnyj)
— not imaginary; real; veritable
Russian:
действи́тельный
(dejstvítelʹnyj)
— not imaginary; real; veritable