What does "substance" mean?
Physical matter; material.
Substance
/ˈsʌbstəns/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Very common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Physical matter; material.
- Grammar: substance is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: body, material, actuality, additive.
- Useful contrasts: black void, empty void, external look.
- Usage evidence: It was an argument of little substance.
How to use "substance"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "substance" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "substance" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "substance" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "substance" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "substance" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "body" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "substance", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Physical matter; material. countable, uncountable
"Study gives strength to the mind; conversation, grace: the first apt to give stiffness, the other suppleness: one gives substance and form to the statue, the other polishes it."
- 2 the real physical matter of which a person or thing consists wordnet
- 3 Physical matter; material.; A form of matter that has constant chemical composition and characteristic properties. countable, uncountable
- 4 a particular kind or species of matter with uniform properties wordnet
- 5 The essential part of anything; the most vital part. countable, uncountable
"Heroic virtue did his actions guide, / And he the substance, not the appearance, chose."
Show 10 more definitions
- 6 the property of holding together and retaining its shape wordnet
- 7 Substantiality; solidity; firmness. countable, uncountable
"Some textile fabrics have little substance."
- 8 the idea that is intended wordnet
- 9 Material possessions; estate; property; resources. countable, uncountable
"a man of substance"
- 10 the choicest or most essential or most vital part of some idea or experience wordnet
- 11 Drugs (illegal narcotics) countable, uncountable
"substance abuse"
- 12 content communicating a message; what something is about wordnet
- 13 Ousia, essence; underlying reality or hypostasis in the philosophical sense. countable, uncountable
- 14 considerable capital (wealth or income) wordnet
- 15 material of a particular kind or constitution wordnet
Verb
- 1 To give substance to; to make real or substantial. rare, transitive
"If life were nothing but what gets phrased and substanced, the world might as well be rolled up and laid away again in darkness."
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
black voidempty voidexternal lookouter form
Example
"It was an argument of little substance."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "substance"?
Common synonyms include: body, material, actuality, additive, advocate of utilitarianism, affective meaning.
How do you use "substance" in a sentence?
It was an argument of little substance.
How do you pronounce "substance"?
Pronounced /ˈsʌbstəns/.
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English substance, from Old French substance, from Latin substantia (“substance, essence”), from substāns, present active participle of substō (“exist”, literally “stand under”), from sub + stō (“stand”). Displaced native Old English andweorc.