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substance

/ˈsʌbstəns/noun2 syllables

Substance means: the choicest or most essential or most vital part of some idea or experience.

Synonyms for substance31

noun, as in the choicest or most essential or most vital part of some idea or experience

kernel, core, center, centre, essence, gist, heart, heart and soul, inwardness, marrow, meat, nub, pith, sum, nitty-gritty

noun, as in content communicating a message; what something is about

message, content, subject matter

noun, as in the property of holding together and retaining its shape

consistency, consistence, body

noun, as in the idea that is intended

noun, as in considerable capital (wealth or income)

also used for substance

matter, stuff, crux, dope, gear, corporeity, mass, material

Includes material from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.

What does substance mean?8

noun

1

the choicest or most essential or most vital part of some idea or experience“the gist of the prosecutor's argument”

2

content communicating a message; what something is about

3

the property of holding together and retaining its shape“wool has more body than rayon”

4

the idea that is intended“What is the meaning of this proverb?”

5

considerable capital (wealth or income)“he is a man of means”

6

the real physical matter of which a person or thing consists“DNA is the substance of our genes”

7

material of a particular kind or constitution“the immune response recognizes invading substances”

8

a particular kind or species of matter with uniform properties“shigella is one of the most toxic substances known to man”

Definitions from the Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Substance in a sentence

  • Unity, at the expense of substance, is useless.sacredceltic
  • A substance can be solid, gaseous, or liquid.Eccles17
  • The substance can irritate or corrode the skin, eyes, or mucous membranes.Aihe
  • It’s a communication medium, not a substance or specific activity.eastasiastudent
  • Charcoal, a substance similar to coal, is produced from wood.sundown
  • There is a lot of filler, but not much substance, in this essay.AlanF_US
  • Proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and nucleic acids are examples of organic substances.Pacific
  • Some nightshades, like belladonna, contain venemous substances despite their beauty.rul

Sentences from Tatoeba, CC BY 2.0 FR, credited to their authors.

Forms of substance

as a noun

plural
substances