Substantial-Substantive | Commonly Confused Words
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Substantial vs. Substantive

Substantial

/səbˈstænʃəl/
Large in amount, size, or importance

Examples:

He wanted substantial work.The meal provided substantial nourishment.Her promotion came with a substantial pay increase.

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

Substantive

/səbˈstæntɪv/
This describes something important or serious in terms of content, rather than appearance or form.

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:

etymology
  • Substantial is about quantity or size, while substantive focuses on essential elements or reality.
  • If something is substantial, think of it as having a large impact or a lot of substance.
  • Substantive often relates to something that is fundamental or has real meaning rather than being superficial.
  • Substantial concerns the degree or amount, whereas substantive pertains to the essence or core.
  • Remember substantial as a measure of how much, and substantive as a measure of how important or real.
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