Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- adj. Lacking substance or reality. See Synonyms at immaterial.
- adj. Not firm or solid; flimsy.
- adj. Delicate; fine.
- adj. Negligible in size or amount.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
Wiktionary
GNU Webster's 1913
- adj. Unsubstantial; not real or strong.
WordNet 3.0
- adj. lacking material form or substance; unreal.
- adj. lacking in nutritive value
Examples
“Is it possible that the fashion industry, long patronized as a realm of the ephemeral and insubstantial, is the real bellwether for future ideas of “ownership” of creative content?”
“Both start with an idea, something insubstantial, that is transformed into an artifact that can influence the world and other people.”
“That just won't work, particularly when the Democrats aren't very good at battling the Republicans in close combat and the Republicans can make those who stay above the fray seem lightweight and insubstantial, which is what they've managed to do.”
“The goal for Honda should be to reclaim a place on Consumer Reports' "recommended" list - CR called the new Civic "cheap" and "insubstantial" - and to answer critics who have called the car a "betrayal," as Dan Neil did in The Wall Street Journal.”
“Cameron's documentary Aliens of the Deep was visually FANTASTIC if kind of insubstantial as a documentary, and yes, it was absolutely improved by 3D.”
Even Roger Ebert Doesn't Like 3D - Take That Hollywood! « FirstShowing.net
“And I don't even know why someone would use 'insubstantial' in this context.”
“The commercial broadcaster was deluged with complaints and fans bombarded internet messageboards, many of them criticising presenter Adrian Chiles for his "insubstantial" apology.”
Telegraph.co.uk: news, business, sport, the Daily Telegraph newspaper, Sunday Telegraph
“I don't think that that falls under the category of "insubstantial" savings.”
“Clearly he doesn't think these protests were "insubstantial," or he wouldn't feel so threatened by them.”
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘insubstantial’.
-
GRE Barrons Wordlist
A complete Barron's Wordlist for GRE preparation. Your online flashcard replacement.
abase, abash, abate, abbreviate, abdicate, aberrant, aberration, abet, abeyance, abhor, abject, abjure and 4084 more...
Comments
No comments yet...
Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.