Another interesting source of energy is the heat that can be recovered from radioactive waste material.
Source: tatoeba (31523)
Material
/məˈtɪə.ɹi.əl/
Synonyms for "material" (639 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (128)
a proposab ovoabsoluteabundanceaccumulationactualad remadamicadducibleadmissibleairamassmentanimalanimalisticapparatusappertainingapplicableapplyingappositeappreciable
Show 75 more words
appropriateaproposasphaltatomatomic particlesatomsattestativeattestiveauthenticbacklogballpoint penbasalbased onbasicbeastlikebeastlybedrockbeingbelongingbestialbibliographybigbig leaguebig namebig timebig-leaguebig-namebig-timebigwigbigwiggedblackboardblacktopbodilybody of knowledgebody of learningbrickbrutalbrutebrute matterbrutishbudgetbuilding blockcanvascardinalcarnalcarnal-mindedcarpetingcentralcertainchalkchemical elementcirceancircumstantialclapboardclothcoarsecobblestonecollectioncommissariatcommissarycomponentcomponentsconclusiveconcreteconsequentialconsiderableconstituentconstituentsconstitutiveconvincingcorecork tilecornucopiacorporalcorporeal
Noun(23 words)
adjective of evidenceadvocate of utilitarianismassistance in group tasksbodily functionsbombazinecare of animalschemicalchemical substanceclay reddestclothclothscohort of physics learnerscompoundconcrete exampleconcrete math toolsconcrete modelconcrete thingconstruction resourcecontentcontent of
Show 3 more words
Adjective(9 words)
catalan matèriaconcrete instanceconcrete objectconcrete processconcrete termscorporealcorporeal formcorporeal presencecorporeal reality
Verb(1 words)
Strong matches (192)
crayoncreaturecumulationcumulativecyclopediadamningdatadecisivedeterminativedistillatedistillationdocumentarydocumentationdocumenteddocumentsdouble-barreleddraperydumpearthearthly
Show 112 more words
earthshakingearthyelementelementalelementaryelementary particleelementary unitelementselixirencyclopediaentityequipmenteraseressenceessentialetoffeevidentialevidentiaryex parteeye-witnesseyewitnessfabricfactsfactualfallenfeltfiber glassfibrefiguresfinalfirefirsthandflagflaggingflagstonefleshlyflooringfocalformformicafounded onfundamentalfundamental particlegeargermanegistgoodgoodsgrandgreatgrossgrounded onguthabilimentsheaphearsayheartheavyweighthigh poweredhigh-poweredhoardhylehylichypostasisimplicitimportantin pointincontrovertibleindicativeindispensableindisputableindividualinformationingredientinkinkhorninkstandinkwellinventoryinvisible inkinvolvingirrefutableirresistiblekernellacelapsedlarderlaylead pencillife-and-deathlife-or-deathlinoleumliteratureliveloremacadammachinerymajormajor leaguemarrowmasonitemassmaterial worldmaterialisticmaterialitymaterialsmateriatematerielmattermeaningfulmeansmeat
Noun(43 words)
current matterdanish feltdanish jordiskdegree of disorganizationearthbound characterfabricfabric becomes moistfabricsfarm inputfeedstockfield of zoologyfillflannelfodderfoddersform of governmentfustiangabardinesgristhistory of science curriculum
Show 23 more words
importantinputivorylaboratory materialitylinguagens de scriptmade ofmask materialmaterial culture itemmattermatter a lotmatter at handmatter during reactionmatter formatter inmatter in educationmatter in experimentsmatter mostmatter tomatter to accuracymatter to resultsmattered greatlymattersmeasurement of change
Verb(5 words)
does matterfill a containerfind evidencematters mostmatters to me
Adjective(12 words)
earthly concernsearthly objectsearthly realmeffective mode of communicationentire substancegeophysical processgerman papierheterogeneous mixture componentsitalian materiaitalian risorsalatin materialatin materia topics
Related words (319)
mediummoleculemomentousmonadmundanemunitionsnamenaperynatural worldnaturenibnonspiritualnotesnubnuncupativeobjectobjectiveof the essenceof vital importanceorgiastic
Show 157 more words
originaloutfitoutwardoverwhelmingpalpablepantilepaperpapersparaphernaliaparquetpavementpavestonepavingpenperceptiblepertainingpertinentphenomenalphilistinephysicalphysical worldpilepithplasterboardplenitudeplentyplenumplumeplywoodpointponderablepostlapsarianpreparationpresumptiveprimalprimaryprimitiveprobativeprofaneprovisionprovisionmentprovisionspublicationsquillquintessenceradicalragrationsrealreedrelevantreliablerepertoirerepertoryresearchresourcesrickroofageroofingroofing papersapsecularself-importantsensiblesensualseriousshakesheathing boardsheetingshinglesidingsignificantsilkslatesolidsomaticsoulspiritspun glassstackstatisticsstencilstockstock-in-tradestockpilestonestorestore of knowledgestoresstuffstylestylographstylussubjectsubstancesubstantialsubstantivesubstratumsuggestivesum and substancesuperiorsuppliessupply on handsureswinishsympathetic inksymptomaticsystem of knowledgetabletablettackletacklingtangibletar papertellingtemporalterrestrialtextiletextile fabrictexturethatchthe four elementsthingtiletilestonetilingtimbertissutissueto the pointto the purposetreasuretreasurytreasury of informationtrueunderlyingunit of beingunspiritualvalidveneervitalwainscotingwallboardwallingwallpaperwaterweatherboardweavewebweftweightywoodwoofwoolworld shakingworld-shakingworldly
Noun(65 words)
mediumsmineralsmoleskinmore chemicalmore chemical substancemore earthlymore physicalmost corporealmost earthlymost physicalmusgunetwork of interactionsoccupantpertinentphysicalphysical attributephysical changesphysical chemistriesphysical descriptionphysical feature
Show 45 more words
physical measurephysical processphysical propertiesphysical properties diagramphysical qualityphysical realmplant productportuguese tangívelpromotion of competitionpurely physicalquantità fisicaraw materialreagentrelevance to resultsrelevantresourceropessamplescience contentsignificantspecimenstudy of artstudy of motionstuffstuffssubject of sentencesubstancesubstance relatedsubstancessubstantial empirical supportsubstantivesymbol of hopetabbiestangibletangible assetstangible goodsteachingstest sampletextilethe science of numbersvelvetverify samplevisual art mediumwickerwith chemicals
Determiner(7 words)
more contentmore physical tracemost chemical substancemost earthly traitsmost physical effectmost physical quantitymost physical trace
Adjective(70 words)
mundane concernsorganic matterpertinent observationphysical actionsphysical assetphysical conceptphysical deletionphysical descriptorphysical effectphysical effortphysical entitiesphysical entityphysical evidencephysical evidence recordphysical factorphysical forcephysical forcesphysical interactionsphysical lawsphysical library
Show 50 more words
physical makeupphysical markerphysical matterphysical measure dataphysical objectphysical occurrencephysical phenomenaphysical phenomenonphysical processesphysical proofphysical proof of identityphysical resultphysical signalphysical specimenphysical stabilitiesphysical statephysical substancephysical symptomsphysical systemphysical thingsphysical tracephysical tracesphysical traitphysical workout schedulepolitical importportuguese plásticorealrelevant educational topicsecular worldsolid contentssolid mattersolid matter the materialsolid samplesolid substancesubstantialsubstantial amountsubstantive feedbacksubstantive mattertangible exploration tasktangible itemtangible materialtangible math toolstangible objecttangible physicalitytangible thingtemporal processurban studies resourcesworldly domainworldly itemwoven fabric
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: a propos, ab ovo, absolute, abundance, accumulation.
- Sentence evidence is available for material, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from moby, derived_reverse, opengloss, wordnet, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "material".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "material"
Keep "material" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "material" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "material", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "material" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
18 entriesShowing 16 of 18 words.
More specific
21 entriesShowing 16 of 21 words.
Collocations
9 entriesadvanced materiallaboratory materialmaterial compositionmaterial densitymaterial phasematerial propertymaterial safetymaterial sampleraw material
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
5 entriesAntonyms
1 entriessimilar
14 entriesTranslations
96 translations across 41 languages.
Ancient Greek
1 entries- ὑλικός adj (related to matter)
Arabic
2 entries- مَادِّيّ adj (related to matter)
- مَادِّيّ adj (worldly)
Armenian
2 entries- նյութական adj (related to matter)
- նյութական adj (worldly)
Belarusian
1 entries- матэрыя́льны adj (related to matter)
Bulgarian
4 entries- веществен adj (related to matter)
- материален adj (related to matter)
- светски adj (worldly)
- материа́л noun (text)
Catalan
2 entries- material adj (related to matter)
- material adj (worldly)
Chinese Mandarin
1 entries- 資料 /资料 noun (text)
Czech
3 entries- hmotný adj (worldly)
- materiální adj (worldly)
- materiálový adj (related to matter)
Danish
4 entries- materiel adj (related to matter)
- materiel adj (worldly)
- materiale noun (text)
- stof noun (text)
Dutch
4 entries- materieel adj (related to matter)
- materieel adj (worldly)
- materiële adj (related to matter)
- materiële adj (worldly)
Esperanto
1 entries- materia adj (related to matter)
Finnish
4 entries- aineellinen adj (related to matter)
- maallinen adj (worldly)
- materiaalinen adj (related to matter)
- materiaalinen adj (worldly)
French
3 entries- matériel adj (worldly)
- documentation noun (related data of various kinds collected as the basis for a document or book)
- matériel noun (text)
Galician
3 entries- material adj (related to matter)
- material adj (worldly)
- material noun (text)
German
3 entries- materiell adj (related to matter)
- materiell adj (worldly)
- Material noun (text)
Greek
2 entries- υλικός adj (related to matter)
- υλικός adj (worldly)
Hebrew
2 entries- חֹמֶר noun (text)
- חומר noun (text)
Hungarian
4 entries- anyagi adj (related to matter)
- anyagi adj (worldly)
- materiális adj (worldly)
- anyag noun (text)
Ido
1 entries- materiala adj (related to matter)
Ingrian
1 entries- materiala noun (text)
Iranian Persian
1 entries- مَطْلَب noun (text)
Irish
2 entries- ábhartha adj (related to matter)
- ábhartha adj (worldly)
Italian
2 entries- materiale adj (related to matter)
- materiale adj (worldly)
Japanese
2 entries- 資料 noun (text)
- 題材 noun (text)
Korean
1 entries- 자료 noun (text)
Latin
2 entries- corporeus adj (related to matter)
- verba scriptoris noun (text)
Luxembourgish
1 entries- Material noun (text)
Macedonian
1 entries- материја́лен adj (related to matter)
Middle English
4 entries- beestly adj (related to matter)
- bestial adj (related to matter)
- material adj (related to matter)
- material adj (worldly)
Māori
1 entries- ōkiko adj (related to matter)
Norwegian
2 entries- materiell adj (related to matter)
- materiell adj (worldly)
Norwegian Bokmål
1 entries- stoff noun (text)
Persian
1 entries- مادی adj (worldly)
Polish
2 entries- materialny adj (related to matter)
- materialny adj (worldly)
Portuguese
4 entries- material adj (related to matter)
- material adj (worldly)
- terreno adj (worldly)
- matéria noun (text)
Romanian
3 entries- material adj (related to matter)
- material adj (worldly)
- material noun (text)
Russian
3 entries- мате́риа́льный adj (related to matter)
- мате́риа́льный adj (worldly)
- материа́л noun (text)
Spanish
3 entries- material adj (related to matter)
- material adj (worldly)
- menaje noun (text)
Swedish
4 entries- compounds with materia c and material adj (related to matter)
- materiell adj (related to matter)
- materiell adj (worldly)
- världslig adj (worldly)
Ukrainian
1 entries- матеріа́льний adj (related to matter)
Volapük
1 entries- stöfik adj (related to matter)
Sample sentences
43 total sentences available.
It is best to review the material before the presentation.
Source: tatoeba (34099)
This is an argument material to the question in hand.
Source: tatoeba (55488)
This is a crude material imported from Malaysia.
Source: tatoeba (55831)
Showing 4 of 43 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "material"?
Closest matches include a propos, ab ovo, absolute, abundance, accumulation.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "material"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.