Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
✅ Important or real ⚖️ About legal rights 🔤 A noun word
substantive

substantive

83 6.3
Important and having real meaning or value
  • adjective
  • /ˈsʌb.stən.tɪv/
  • Formal
: sustancial
  • Until recently, the most substantive information about a practicing teacher has been limited to the resume.
  • a substantive change
  • substantive content
  • a substantive issue

Can you really add anything substantive to this compilation?

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • Have you any more substantive questions for this witness?

    Roman Holiday (1953)

  • I do hope also that there will be substantive debate.

    Harvard University

  • Has your view changed in any substantive ways since then?

  • We'll be right back with more substantive questions.

  • So I guess the question is how substantive is that AI investment?

  • It's about pointing people in the direction where they can get real substantive information.

  • Peter explored all the issues, substantive and practical, faced in both positions.

    Academic text (2008)

  • The best part about these protests is that they're already producing substantive changes as well.

  • The research indicates that providing educators with readily accessible learning opportunities has a substantive and favorable impact.

    Academic text (2013)

  • The committee made a few substantive recommendations to improve the school's curriculum.

Synonyms

important
vssubstantive
∞ 1.0

A person or thing that matters a lot

stresses actual significance or amount rather than general value
significant
vssubstantive
∞ 2.5

Important and big enough to make a difference

is about real weight or notable size rather than mere noticeability
meaningful
vssubstantive
309 3.3

Something that has a clear purpose or that is important

focuses on real importance or measurable effect rather than just clarity
considerable
vssubstantive
238 4.6

Large in size or amount

means real importance or strength rather than only large quantity
substantial
vssubstantive
22 5.0

About the main, basic part of something

emphasizes real importance or tangible amount rather than mere appearance
meaty
vssubstantive
7 5.8

Full of ideas that make you think

applies broadly to importance or amount beyond just written depth

Antonyms

trivial
110 3.9

Not important or serious

insignificant
102 4.1

Not important or too small to matter

Compounds

substantive dye
  • Specialized
8.1

A coloring that sticks to fibers like cotton or rayon without extra treatment

How Important

critical
800 4.0
major
∞ 1.0
significant
∞ 2.5
substantive
  • Formal
83 6.3
moderate
310 3.3
minor
497 2.4
slight
513 1.2

Surface Forms

substantive positive

Morphology

substantive = substance (semi-transparent) = substance + ive

Built from 'substance' + '-ive'; the connection to 'having substance' is clear, though the modern sense has broadened to mean 'important' or 'meaningful'.

Etymology

Substantive comes from substance, which means the 'real' or solid part of something and shares the same root as English stand. So when something is substantive it has real weight or importance, not just small or empty details.