as in substantial
sufficiently large in size, amount, or number to merit attention
they've made substantive changes in the nightly newscast
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in nominal
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of substantive
Los Angeles Times, 17 Nov. 2022
Only seventeen members of Harmony, the party that represents the Russian minority and commands a substantive if declining amount of support, and two nonaffiliated members were opposed.
—Gordon F. Sander, The New York Review of Books, 6 July 2022
Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2025
Second, the work must be substantive and supervised, not clerical.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 7 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for substantive
Adjective
California’s climate agenda mixes the symbolic with the substantive.
—Los Angeles Times, 17 Nov. 2022
Only seventeen members of Harmony, the party that represents the Russian minority and commands a substantive if declining amount of support, and two nonaffiliated members were opposed.
—Gordon F. Sander, The New York Review of Books, 6 July 2022
Noun
Ellison's office's lack of substantive response to the ultimatum comes despite the fact that hundreds of Minnesota school board members penned an open letter urging the state to comply with Trump and change its policies to keep males out of girls sports.
—Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2025
Second, the work must be substantive and supervised, not clerical.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 7 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for substantive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for substantive
Adjective
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If Pauli’s theory of neutrinos were correct, then each of these sets of reactions, both fission and fusion, would emit neutrinos each with a substantial amount of energy (in the ~MeV, or mega-electron-volt, range) to them.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
28 Oct. 2025
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And few will qualify for the New Jersey family’s tutoring job, as the listing details some substantial requirements.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
28 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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This wholly bespoke drivetrain required some significant changes to the vehicle beyond just cutting a hole in the chassis.—
Tim Stevens,
Robb Report,
23 Oct. 2025
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With his unique falsetto, emotional delivery and irresistible backstory — retreating to a cabin in the woods following a pair of personal and professional breakups to record in solitude — Bon Iver earned significant industry respect and a devoted cult following.—
Andrew Unterberger,
Billboard,
23 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The Jays still face a considerable challenge in this Series.—
Ken Rosenthal,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
-
After considerable time, referee Cal McNeill announced that the ruling on the field — even though there had not been any indication of one — was that the ball indeed hit a Nevada player and was recovered by the Broncos.—
Jim Keyser,
Idaho Statesman,
25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The decision will have sizable implications for India’s energy sector, with Russia making up about 34 percent of crude oil imports.—
Kate Nishimura,
Sourcing Journal,
22 Oct. 2025
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Air Leaks at the Bottom of a Door For a sizeable gap and a heavy draft, try a door sweep.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
22 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Substantive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/substantive. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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