substance

sub·stance (s

ns)

a. That which has mass and occupies space; matter.

b. A material of a particular kind or constitution.

a. Essential nature; essence.

b. Gist; heart.

3. That which is solid and practical in character, quality, or importance: a plan without substance.

4. Density; body: Air has little substance.

5. Material possessions; goods; wealth: a person of substance.

[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin substantia, from substns, substant-, present participle of substre, to be present : sub-, sub- + stre, to stand; see st- in Indo-European roots.]

Synonyms: substance, burden², core, gist, pith, purport
These nouns denote the essential import or significance of something spoken or written: the substance of his complaint; the burden of the President's speech; the core of an article; the gist of her argument; the pith of an essay; the purport of a document.

substance

Noun

1. the basic matter of which a thing consists

2. a specific type of matter with definite or fairly definite chemical composition: a fatty substance

3. the essential meaning of a speech, thought, or written article

4. important or meaningful quality: the only evidence of substance against him

5. material possessions or wealth: a woman of substance

6. in substance with regard to the most important points [Latin substantia]

ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms

Noun	1.	substance - the real physical matter of which a person or thing consists; "DNA is the substance of our genes" matter - that which has mass and occupies space; "physicists study both the nature of matter and the forces which govern it" body substance - the substance of the body living substance, protoplasm - the substance of a living cell (including cytoplasm and nucleus) component part, part, portion, component, constituent - something determined in relation to something that includes it; "he wanted to feel a part of something bigger than himself"; "I read a portion of the manuscript"; "the smaller component is hard to reach"; "the animal constituent of plankton" chemistry - the chemical composition and properties of a substance or object; "the chemistry of soil" material, stuff - the tangible substance that goes into the makeup of a physical object; "coal is a hard black material"; "wheat is the stuff they use to make bread" phlogiston - a hypothetical substance once believed to be present in all combustible materials and to be released during burning mixture - (chemistry) a substance consisting of two or more substances mixed together (not in fixed proportions and not with chemical bonding) atom - (physics and chemistry) the smallest component of an element having the chemical properties of the element chemical element, element - any of the more than 100 known substances (of which 92 occur naturally) that cannot be separated into simpler substances and that singly or in combination constitute all matter activator - (biology) any agency bringing about activation; a molecule that increases the activity of an enzyme or a protein that increases the production of a gene product in DNA transcription substrate - the substance that is acted upon by an enzyme or ferment element - one of four substances thought in ancient and medieval cosmology to constitute the physical universe; "the alchemists believed that there were four elements" medium - an intervening substance through which something is achieved; "the dissolving medium is called a solvent" medium - (biology) a substance in which specimens are preserved or displayed fluid - a substance that is fluid at room temperature and pressure volatile - a volatile substance; a substance that changes readily from solid or liquid to a vapor; "it was heated to evaporate the volatiles" essence - any substance possessing to a high degree the predominant properties of a plant or drug or other natural product from which it is extracted
	2.	substance - the choicest or most essential or most vital part of some idea or experience; "the gist of the prosecutor's argument"; "the heart and soul of the Republican Party"; "the nub of the story" essence, heart and soul, inwardness, nitty-gritty, pith, gist, kernel, nub, meat, core, sum, marrow, heart, center, centre cognitive content, mental object, content - the sum or range of what has been perceived, discovered, or learned bare bones - (plural) the most basic facts or elements; "he told us only the bare bones of the story" hypostasis - (metaphysics) essential nature or underlying reality haecceity, quiddity - the essence that makes something the kind of thing it is and makes it different from any other quintessence - the purest and most concentrated essence of something stuff - a critically important or characteristic component; "suspense is the very stuff of narrative"
	3.	substance - the idea that is intended; "What is the meaning of this proverb?" meaning idea, thought - the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about; "it was not a good idea"; "the thought never entered my mind" semantics - the meaning of a word, phrase, sentence, or text; "a petty argument about semantics" implication, significance, import - a meaning that is not expressly stated but can be inferred; "the significance of his remark became clear only later"; "the expectation was spread both by word and by implication" tenor, strain - the general meaning or substance of an utterance; "although I disagreed with him I could follow the tenor of his argument" undercurrent, undertone - a subdued emotional quality underlying an utterance; implicit meaning denotation, reference, extension - the most direct or specific meaning of a word or expression; the class of objects that an expression refers to; "the extension of `satellite of Mars' is the set containing only Demos and Phobos" reference - the relation between a word or phrase and the object or idea it refers to; "he argued that reference is a consequence of conditioned reflexes" connotation - an idea that is implied or suggested
	4.	substance - material of a particular kind or constitution; "the immune response recognizes invading substances" physical entity - an entity that has physical existence
	5.	substance - considerable capital (wealth or income); "he is a man of means" means capital - wealth in the form of money or property owned by a person or business and human resources of economic value pocketbook - your personal financial means; "that car is too expensive for my pocketbook" wherewithal - the necessary means (especially financial means)
	6.	substance - what a communication that is about something is about subject matter, content, message communication - something that is communicated by or to or between people or groups body - the central message of a communication; "the body of the message was short" corker - (dated slang) a remarkable or excellent thing or person; "that story was a corker" reminder - a message that helps you remember something; "he ignored his wife's reminders" petition, request, postulation - a formal message requesting something that is submitted to an authority memorial - a written statement of facts submitted in conjunction with a petition to an authority latent content - (psychoanalysis) hidden meaning of a fantasy or dream subject, theme, topic - the subject matter of a conversation or discussion; "he didn't want to discuss that subject"; "it was a very sensitive topic"; "his letters were always on the theme of love" digression, divagation, excursus, parenthesis, aside - a message that departs from the main subject meaning, signification, import, significance - the message that is intended or expressed or signified; "what is the meaning of this sentence"; "the significance of a red traffic light"; "the signification of Chinese characters"; "the import of his announcement was ambiguous" hokum, meaninglessness, nonsense, nonsensicality, bunk - a message that seems to convey no meaning drivel, garbage - a worthless message acknowledgement, acknowledgment - a statement acknowledging something or someone; "she must have seen him but she gave no sign of acknowledgment"; "the preface contained an acknowledgment of those who had helped her" refusal - a message refusing to accept something that is offered info, information - a message received and understood counseling, counselling, guidance, counsel, direction - something that provides direction or advice as to a decision or course of action dedication, commitment - a message that makes a pledge commendation, approval - a message expressing a favorable opinion; "words of approval seldom passed his lips" disapproval - the expression of disapproval respects - (often used with `pay') a formal expression of esteem; "he paid his respects to the mayor" discourtesy, disrespect - an expression of lack of respect insertion, interpolation - a message (spoken or written) that is introduced or inserted; "with the help of his friend's interpolations his story was eventually told"; "with many insertions in the margins" statement - a message that is stated or declared; a communication (oral or written) setting forth particulars or facts etc; "according to his statement he was in London on that day" statement - a nonverbal message; "a Cadillac makes a statement about who you are"; "his tantrums are a statement of his need for attention" humor, wit, witticism, wittiness, humour - a message whose ingenuity or verbal skill or incongruity has the power to evoke laughter opinion, view - a message expressing a belief about something; the expression of a belief that is held with confidence but not substantiated by positive knowledge or proof; "his opinions appeared frequently on the editorial page" instruction, direction - a message describing how something is to be done; "he gave directions faster than she could follow them" proposal - something proposed (such as a plan or assumption) offering, offer - something offered (as a proposal or bid); "noteworthy new offerings for investors included several index funds" submission, entry - something (manuscripts or architectural plans and models or estimates or works of art of all genres etc.) submitted for the judgment of others (as in a competition); "several of his submissions were rejected by publishers"; "what was the date of submission of your proposal?" narration, narrative, story, tale - a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program; "his narrative was interesting"; "Disney's stories entertain adults as well as children" promotion, promotional material, publicity, packaging - a message issued in behalf of some product or cause or idea or person or institution; "the packaging of new ideas"
	7.	substance - a particular kind or species of matter with uniform properties; "shigella is one of the most toxic substances known to man" matter - that which has mass and occupies space; "physicists study both the nature of matter and the forces which govern it" food, nutrient - any substance that can be metabolized by an animal to give energy and build tissue nutrient - any substance (such as a chemical element or inorganic compound) that can be taken in by a green plant and used in organic synthesis philosopher's stone, philosophers' stone, elixir - hypothetical substance that the alchemists believed to be capable of changing base metals into gold allergen - any substance that can cause an allergy assay - a substance that is undergoing an analysis of its components pyrectic, pyrogen - any substance that can cause a rise in body temperature pyrogen - any substance characterized by its great flammability hydrocolloid - a substance that forms a gel with water adulterant, adulterator - any substance that lessens the purity or effectiveness of a substance; "it is necessary to remove the adulterants before use" propellant, propellent - any substance that propels denaturant - any substance that serves as a denaturing agent inhibitor - a substance that retards or stops an activity ferment - a substance capable of bringing about fermentation agent - a substance that exerts some force or effect carcinogen - any substance that produces cancer digestive - any substance that promotes digestion fomentation - a substance used as a warm moist medicinal compress or poultice fuel - a substance that can be consumed to produce energy; "more fuel is needed during the winter months"; "they developed alternative fuels for aircraft" lube, lubricant, lubricating substance, lubricator - a substance capable of reducing friction by making surfaces smooth or slippery humectant - any substance that is added to another substance to keep it moist inoculant, inoculum - a substance (a virus or toxin or immune serum) that is introduced into the body to produce or increase immunity to a particular disease jelly - any substance having the consistency of jelly or gelatin leaven, leavening - a substance used to produce fermentation in dough or a liquid refrigerant - any substance used to provide cooling (as in a refrigerator) lysin - any substance (such as an antibody) or agent that can cause lysis poison, poisonous substance, toxicant - any substance that causes injury or illness or death of a living organism chemical irritant - a substance producing irritation antigen - any substance (as a toxin or enzyme) that stimulates an immune response in the body (especially the production of antibodies) ligand - a substance (an atom or molecule or radical or ion) that forms a complex around a central atom metabolite - any substance involved in metabolism (either as a product of metabolism or as necessary for metabolism) vehicle - any substance that facilitates the use of a drug or pigment or other material that is mixed with it