substantial
substantial — 形容詞
1. big in size, amount, or degree, often enough to be noticed or to make a differen
大量；可觀
數量、程度或價值很大
big in size, amount, or degree, often enough to be noticed or to make a difference
Ayesha received a substantial pay rise after the project succeeded.
Ayesha 在專案成功後獲得了一筆可觀的加薪。
substantial + noun (pay rise)
The storm caused substantial damage to homes along the coast.
暴風雨對沿海地區的房屋造成了大量損害。
There has been a substantial increase in the number of people cycling to work.
騎腳踏車上班的人數大幅增加了。
The charity received a substantial sum of money from an anonymous donor.
慈善機構從一名匿名捐款者那裡收到了一大筆錢。
Jiwoo noticed a substantial improvement in her grades after studying with a tutor.
Jiwoo 在找家教補習後，發現成績有了明顯的進步。
- considerable
neutral and factual, often used for amounts or degrees without the sense of material weight
- significant
emphasises the importance or noticeable effect of something
- sizeable
informal synonym, focuses on physical size or amount but less on value
- insignificant
too small or unimportant to be worth attention
- negligible
so small or unimportant that it can be ignored
文法句型
substantial + noun (amount, increase, difference, damage)
用法筆記
Often used to describe changes, differences, or effects that are clearly noticeable — not just large but meaningfully so.
常見錯誤
2. related to the most important or central part of something, rather than small or
本質；主要
與最重要或核心的部分有關
related to the most important or central part of something, rather than small or secondary details
Though they disagreed on small points, there was substantial agreement on the core plan.
雖然他們在小細節上有分歧，但在核心計劃上大體意見一致。
substantial agreement on [topic]
The committee addressed the substantial issues of safety and funding before discussing minor matters.
委員會先處理了安全與經費等實質問題，然後才討論次要事項。
No substantial changes were made to the final version of the law.
法律的最終版本沒有做任何實質性的修改。
The judge found no substantial difference between the two arguments.
法官認為這兩項論點之間沒有本質上的差異。
- essential
stresses the fundamental nature of something, without which it would not be what it is
- fundamental
focuses on being the basis or foundation of something
- main
simpler and less formal; indicates the most important part
- minor
smaller or less important
- incidental
occurring as a minor accompaniment to something else
文法句型
substantial + noun (agreement, issue, matter, point)
用法筆記
Frequently found in legal, academic, and formal business contexts. Distinguish from sense 1: this sense does not refer to quantity but to importance of content.
常見錯誤
3. large and strong in physical form; made so that it can last and support weight
結實；牢固
體積大且結構堅固
large and strong in physical form; made so that it can last and support weight
The old farmhouse had substantial stone walls that kept the rooms cool in summer.
那棟老農舍有厚實的石牆，讓房間在夏天保持涼爽。
substantial + noun describing physical structure
Dario chose a substantial oak table that would last for decades.
Dario 選了一張耐用的橡木桌，可以用好幾十年。
The bridge needed substantial concrete supports to carry the heavy lorries.
那座橋需要堅固的混凝土橋墩來承受重型卡車的重量。
Nikos was a tall, substantial man with broad shoulders and strong hands.
Nikos 是個身材高大壯碩的人，肩膀寬闊、雙手有力。
The warehouse had thick, substantial walls that blocked out most of the noise.
倉庫有厚實牢固的牆壁，隔絕了大部分噪音。
- sturdy
emphasises resistance to wear or damage; stronger but less about size
- solid
suggests firmness and lack of weak points; more informal
- heavy-duty
informal; describes objects designed for hard use
文法句型
substantial + noun (building, wall, table, structure)
用法筆記
Can describe a person's physical build in a neutral or positive way. Unlike 'sturdy', which focuses on resistance to damage, 'substantial' implies both size and strength.
常見錯誤
4. real and based on facts or evidence, rather than imagined, pretended, or lacking
真實；確鑿
有事實根據而非虛構
real and based on facts or evidence, rather than imagined, pretended, or lacking solid support
The police gathered substantial evidence linking the suspect to the crime.
警方收集到了確鑿的證據，將嫌犯與該罪行連結起來。
substantial evidence
The charity requires substantial proof of need before distributing funds.
慈善機構在發放補助金之前，要求提供確實的補助需求證明。
There is no substantial basis for the rumours about the company being sold.
關於那家公司被收購的謠言，並沒有任何實質根據。
Élise felt her concerns were dismissed without any substantial reason.
Élise 覺得她的擔憂被輕描淡寫地打發了，沒有任何正當的理由。
文法句型
substantial + noun (evidence, basis, reason, proof)
用法筆記
Common in formal writing about arguments, claims, and investigations. Distinguish from sense 1: here 'substantial' is about reality and truth, not quantity — a 'substantial amount of evidence' (sense 1) means a lot of evidence, while 'substantial evidence' (this sense) means convincing, solid evidence.