1
as in unsubstantial
being of a material lacking in sturdiness or substance
an insubstantial carton that could not possibly stand up during long-distance shipping
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in spiritual
not composed of matter
energy is insubstantial
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of insubstantial
And Dalla Porta can’t build a flesh-and-blood character out of a woman who seems as billowy and insubstantial as the movie that bears her name.
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David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 May 2024
By emphasizing the details of her characters’ work, Waldman endows what might seem insubstantial in other hands with depth and shadow.
—Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, 6 Mar. 2024
Here are 10 squads seemingly relegated to the sidelines during this year’s silly season, their impactful outlooks ranked from insubstantial to those seemingly staring at self-destructive maneuvers going into the 2024 campaign (note: salary cap projections courtesy Over The Cap):
10.
—Nate Davis, USA TODAY, 23 Feb. 2024
Given their size, the controllers are surprisingly light, to the point of feeling a bit insubstantial in your hand.
—Kyle Orland, Ars Technica, 16 Feb. 2023
See all Example Sentences for insubstantial 
David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 May 2024
By emphasizing the details of her characters’ work, Waldman endows what might seem insubstantial in other hands with depth and shadow.
—Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, 6 Mar. 2024
Here are 10 squads seemingly relegated to the sidelines during this year’s silly season, their impactful outlooks ranked from insubstantial to those seemingly staring at self-destructive maneuvers going into the 2024 campaign (note: salary cap projections courtesy Over The Cap):
10.
—Nate Davis, USA TODAY, 23 Feb. 2024
Given their size, the controllers are surprisingly light, to the point of feeling a bit insubstantial in your hand.
—Kyle Orland, Ars Technica, 16 Feb. 2023
See all Example Sentences for insubstantial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for insubstantial
Adjective
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Salads Salads don’t have to feel flimsy or unsubstantial.Katie Workman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Sep. 2023
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From a personal finance perspective, people with extra cash should feel free to put an unsubstantial portion of their wealth into high-risk, high-volatility assets like crypto or meme stocks or even Super Bowl bets (thanks for the two-touchdown performance, Cooper Kupp).Scott Nover, Quartz, 14 Feb. 2022
Adjective
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Whether embarking on a physical or spiritual journey, turquoise acts as a guardian, keeping this Fire sign grounded and aligned with their intentions.Valerie Mesa, People.com, 23 Nov. 2024
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There’s a quicksilver brilliance to her Berniece, a widow still grieving her husband, a daughter acutely feeling the loss of her parents, a mother determined to shield her daughter from generational trauma, and a woman contemplating her own future, romantic, economic, spiritual, and otherwise.Radhika Seth, Vogue, 22 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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The black bistro-style handles felt sophisticated (and matched my glossy black dishes), but the materials were cheap, and within a year or two, those cool handles had separated from the flimsy stainless steel.Emily Farris, Bon Appétit, 29 Oct. 2024
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The best house shoes for women are hardly limited to fluffy, flimsy slippers—there are clogs, sturdy indoor-outdoor options, and slides that’ll keep you comfy while tackling your chores, grabbing the mail, or relaxing with your favorite comfort show.Sara Coughlin, SELF, 28 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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If reason teaches that God is incorporeal, this means that God has no body; God does not physically see, nor do people see God.Randy L. Friedman, The Conversation, 16 Feb. 2024
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The digital files are incorporeal.BostonGlobe.com, BostonGlobe.com, 9 June 2021
Adjective
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No matter how far-fetched the premise or gossamer-thin the story, the musical invites (compels) us to go along with its essential surrealism, to travel to that dream space where everyday life suddenly moves and sounds deliriously out of this world.Manohla Dargis, New York Times, 7 May 2020
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For her label Anissa Aida, designer Anissa Meddeb, who lives in the capital, makes gossamer silk blouses evoking the striped motif of handwoven fouta towels and voluminous coats inspired by the burnoose cloaks worn by Berbers.Sarah Khan, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Feb. 2020
Adjective
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Perhaps that’s why Sedona attracts such a strong enclave of New Age spiritual devotees searching for metaphysical energy in the vortexes allegedly sprinkled throughout its buttes and spires.Erin Strout, Outside Online, 11 Nov. 2024
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His fascination was with light, optics and the metaphysical, his layered geometric forms made with almost scientific precision.Nargess Banks, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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By the end of the 19th century, Pearl and Lone Star breweries competed for the largest output of the frothy stuff in San Antonio.Michael Barnes, Austin American-Statesman, 22 Nov. 2024
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After a delightful twist that saw our favourite hapless expat relocate to Rome, Netflix has confirmed that Darren Star’s frothy romp will be back for a fifth outing.Radhika Seth, Vogue, 21 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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And before temperatures dip to single digits, the cranberry bogs will have to be flooded to keep the fragile buds from drying out.Elaine Quijano, CBS News, 27 Nov. 2024
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This point of contention has already threatened the fragile peace.Alexander Smith, NBC News, 27 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near insubstantial
Cite this Entry
“Insubstantial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/insubstantial. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.
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