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Meaning of insubstantial
The primary meaning of "insubstantial" is something that lacks material substance or solidity, often being fragile, weak, or fleeting.
Etymology of insubstantial
The word "insubstantial" originates from the Latin words "in-" (meaning "not") and "substantia" (meaning "being" or "substance")
Historically, the term has been used to describe things that lack physical presence, solidity, or permanence
The word has evolved to encompass a range of meanings, including the idea of something being fragile, weak, or fleeting
Synonyms
intangible
ephemeral
fleeting
transitory
impermanent
fragile
delicate
weak
feeble
frail
slender
tenuous
vague
obscure
ambiguous
unclear
vague
insipid
bland
tasteless
odorless
colorless
unreal
imaginary
fanciful
unreal
unconvincing
unsubstantial
slight
meager
scanty
skimpy
sparse
thin
airy
ethereal
diaphanous
gossamer
filmy
shadowy
illusory
hallucinatory
dreamy
chimerical
fancied
visionary
vague
nebulous
hazy
indistinct
indefinite
uncertain
dubious
questionable
untrustworthy
unreliable
unsound
unstable
insecure
unsteady
precarious
rickety
flimsy
fragile
brittle
frangible
shattery
crumbly
friable
powdery
dusty
vaporous
gaseous
aerial
volatile
effervescent
evanescent
momentary
transient
temporary
impermanent
nonphysical
nonmaterial
abstract
immaterial
incorporeal
bodiless
disembodied
formless
shapeless
unshaped
amorphous
insubstantive
inconsequential
insignificant
unimportant
trivial
trifling
paltry
petty
piddling
niggling
negligible
minor
slight
small
little
puny
weak
feeble
infirm
delicate
dainty
refined
exquisite
elegant
subtle
faint
slight
tenuous
rare
uncommon
unusual
scarce
rarefied
attenuated
diluted
watered-down
diminished
reduced
decreased
lessened
lowered
curtailed
abridged
abbreviated
shortened
contracted
compressed
condensed
concentrated
abstract
theoretical
conceptual
notional
hypothetical
speculative
conjectural
suppositional
presumptive
putative
assumed
presumed
supposed
imagined
fictional
fancied
invented
fabricated
made-up
mythical
legendary
mythological
mythic
fabled
storied
unreal
unrealistic
impractical
unworkable
infeasible
unviable
unserviceable
unusable
inoperable
inoperative
nonfunctional
nonoperational
impracticable
inapplicable
unapplicable
inadmissible
inapposite
irrelevant
immaterial
inconsequential
insignificant
unimportant
trivial
trifling
paltry
petty
piddling
niggling
negligible
minor
slight
small
little
puny
weak
feeble
infirm
delicate
dainty
refined
exquisite
elegant
subtle
faint
slight
tenuous
rare
uncommon
unusual
scarce
rarefied
attenuated
diluted
watered-down
diminished
reduced
decreased
lessened
lowered
curtailed
abridged
abbreviated
shortened
contracted
compressed
condensed
concentrated
Definitions
- Lacking material substance or solidity
- Not strong or robust
- Not having a solid or concrete basis
- Lacking firmness or stability
- Fragile, weak, or fleeting
Usage Examples
- The insubstantial evidence presented in court was not enough to convict the defendant
- The insubstantial walls of the old house made it prone to collapse
- The artist's use of insubstantial materials created a sense of fragility and impermanence in her sculptures
- The company's insubstantial profits made it difficult to invest in new projects
- The philosopher's argument was based on an insubstantial premise, making it difficult to take seriously
Antonyms
substantial
solid
robust
strong
sturdy
firm
stable
concrete
tangible
material
physical
real
actual
factual
genuine
authentic
reliable
trustworthy
sound
secure
steady
substantial
considerable
significant
important
substantial
momentous
monumental
imposing
impressive
grand
grandiose
magnificent
majestic
massive
enormous
gigantic
huge
colossal
mammoth
tremendous
tremendous
powerful
potent
force