Thanks to the opportunity, we were able to avoid substantial effort.
Source: tatoeba (20490)
Substantial
/səbˈstænʃəl/
Synonyms for "substantial" (475 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (95)
Adjective(10 words)
significantsolidaffluentampleample empirical evidencebeefierchunkiestconsiderableconsiderable quantitydeep connection
Noun(5 words)
ab ovoable to payabsoluteabundantactualadequateaffluentallegoricalampleappreciableascendantassociationalauthenticauthoritarianauthoritativeauthorizedautocraticbalancedbarely sufficientbasal
Show 56 more words
basicbelievablebigbig leaguebig namebig timebig-leaguebig-namebig-timebigwigbigwiggedbindingbodilybumpercalculablecarnalcharismaticcharmingcloseclose-knitclose-texturedclose-wovenclothed with authoritycogentcomfortablecommandingcommensuratecompactcompactedcompetentcompressedconcentratedconcretecondensedcongestedconnotationalconnotativeconsequentialconsiderableconsistentconsolidatedconstituentconstitutivecontrollingcoolcorporalcorporealcorrespondingcrammedcrammed fullcrowdedde factodecentdefinabledenotationaldenotative
Strong matches (143)
densedependabledominantdouble-barreleddueduly constituteddurableearthlyearthshakingeasyeffectiveeffectualefficaciouselementalelementaryeminentempoweredenchantingendureenough
Show 80 more words
equal toessentialestimableex officioexpressiveextendedextensionalextensivefactualfaithfulfaithworthyfastfiducialfigurativefirmfirm as gibraltarfitfleshlyfor realfull of meaningfull of pointfull of substancefundamentalgainfulgenerousgenuineglueygoodgood enoughgood forgoodlygoverninggrandgreatgrossguthandsomehardhealthyheavyheavyweightheftyhegemonichegemonistichigh poweredhigh-poweredhistoricalhonest-to-godhugehylicimpenetrableimperativeimpermeableimperturbableimportantimpressivein equilibriumindicativeinfluentialintelligibleintensionalinterpretableinvinciblejam packedjam-packedjammedjustkeylandedlargelarge scalelarge-scalelawfulleadinglegallegitimatelogicallustymagneticmajor
Related words (237)
major leagueman-sizedmassivematerialmateriatemeaningmeaningfulmeatymetaphoricalmightyminimalminimummomentousmonocraticnameniftynonporousnonspiritualnumberlessnumerous
Show 133 more words
objectiveof the essenceofficialoriginalpackedpalpablepersonablepersuasivephenomenalphysicalpithyplentyplenty good enoughpointedponderablepositivepotentpowerfulpredictablepreeminentpregnantprestigiousprimalprimaryprimitiveprincelyprincipalprofitableprominentpropertiedproportionateprosperouspuissantradicalrankingreadablerealreferentialreliablereputablerespectablerichrulingsatisfactorysecularsecureself-consistentself-importantseniorsensiblesententiousseriousserriedsignificantsignificativesizablesizeablesnugsolidsolventsomaticsoundstablestaunchsteadfaststeadystoutstrongsturdysuasivesubstantivesuccessfulsufficientsufficient forsufficingsuggestivesuitablesuperiorsupremesuresurefiresymbolicsymbolicaltalltangibletellingtemporalthickthick-growingthicksettidytotalitariantoughtransferredtruetrustworthytrustyundeniableunderlyingunfailingunflappableunflinchingunindebtedunshakableunspiritualunwaveringup tovalidvastveritableviscidviscoseviscousvoluminouswealthyweightywellwell fixedwell-balancedwell-builtwell-establishedwell-fixedwell-foundedwell-groundedwell-heeledwell-offwell-to-dowinningwithout nervesworld shakingworld-shakingworldlyworthwhile
Adjective(52 words)
major organ systemmajor political changemajor reformsmajor releasemajor updatemassive amountmassive buildingmassive impactmassive impactsmassive mistakemassive problemmassive projectmassive sizematerialmaterial breachmaterial evidencematerial markermeaningfulmeatiestmoneyed
Show 32 more words
physical phenomenaprofoundrealrobustsatisfyingserious issueserious mattersignificant aspectsignificant breakthroughsignificant chemical effectsignificant cultural achievementsignificant datasignificant effectsignificant performance improvementsignificant political changesignificant resultsolid approachsolid evidencesolid mattersolid objectsolid partsquarestrongstrong evidencestrong sense of matteringsturdysubstantivesubstantive feedbacksubstantive mattervast regionwealthyweightiest
Noun(25 words)
mass of peoplemass the samplematerial aspectmaterial characteristicmaterial entitymaterial factmaterial goodsmaterial objectmaterial resourcesmateriality standardmore massivemost massiveplumpsprofound sadnesspronounced differencequamassiaquantumsample of substancesignificant changesize
Show 5 more words
Determiner(1 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: significant, solid, a great many, ab ovo, able to pay.
- Sentence evidence is available for substantial, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, derived_reverse, moby, 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 "substantial".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "substantial"
Keep "substantial" 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 "substantial" 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 "substantial", 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 "substantial" 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
9 entriesMore specific
7 entriesheavy masonrylarge amountmajor portionsolid woodsubstantial benefitsubstantial impactsubstantial sum
Collocations
5 entriessubstantial amountsubstantial changesubstantial evidencesubstantial growthsubstantial impact
Inflections
2 entriesmore substantialmost substantial
Derivations
2 entriesAntonyms
1 entriessimilar
6 entriesSample sentences
20 total sentences available.
We have a substantial stake in the venture.
Source: tatoeba (23322)
It will require substantial time and financial resources.
Source: tatoeba (42914)
The project is well-planned and interesting, but its immediate impact on the bottom line is not considered substantial.
Source: tatoeba (49944)
Showing 4 of 20 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "substantial"?
Closest matches include significant, solid, a great many, ab ovo, able to pay.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "substantial"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.