Master confusing words with ease
Substantial vs. Substantive
Substantial
/səbˈstænʃəl/Examples:
He wanted substantial work.The meal provided substantial nourishment.Her promotion came with a substantial pay increase.
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Antonyms:
Substantive
/səbˈstæntɪv/Examples:
A substantive rule governs the rights of the parties involved.The debate had substantive discussions on policy reforms.Her contributions to the project were substantive, not merely formal.
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
Ways to tell them apart:
- Substantial often refers to something large in size, value, or importance, like a substantial meal or a substantial amount of money.
- Substantive is more about the essence or core, meaning something that has a firm basis in reality, like substantive evidence.
- Remember that substantial often deals with quantity or magnitude, while substantive deals more with the quality or significance.
- Substantial can often be measured or quantified, whereas substantive usually relates more to abstract or qualitative assessments.
- Think of substantial as tangible and substantive as the essence or underlying reality of something.
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