What is another word for insubstantial?
882 synonyms found
Pronunciation:
[ ˈɪnsəbstˌanʃə͡l], [ ˈɪnsəbstˌanʃəl], [ ˈɪ_n_s_ə_b_s_t_ˌa_n_ʃ_əl]
Insubstantial is a word that implies something lacking in solidity or weight; something that is flimsy, fragile, or weak. There are quite a few synonyms for the word insubstantial that can add variety and depth to one's vocabulary. For instance, words like ethereal, immaterial, and intangible share similarities with insubstantial as they suggest things that are intangible or weightless. Other synonyms that are commonly used include insipid, vapid and weak, all of which denote something that is lacking in substance or quality. More colorfully, flimsy, frail or wispy present alternatives with a range of connotations from delicate to insubstantial. Overall, it's useful to know a multitude of synonyms for insubstantial to keep your writing varied and engaging.
Table of Contents
Similar words for insubstantial:
- feeble (adjective)
- ghostly (adjective)
- jerry-built (adjective)
- light (adjective)
- meaningless (adjective)
- metaphysical (adjective)
- nonexistent (adjective)
- nonphysical (adjective)
- paper (adjective)
- unreal (adjective)
- weak (adjective)
- weakly (adjective)
- all (adjective)
- bodiless (adjective)
- decrepit (adjective)
- elusive (adjective)
- ethereal (adjective)
- filmy (adjective)
- flimsy (adjective)
- fragile (adjective)
- frail (adjective)
- gauzy (adjective)
- imagined (adjective)
- impalpable (adjective)
- inadequate (adjective)
- insecure (adjective)
- meager (adjective)
- pale (adjective)
- piddly (adjective)
- slender/slim (adjective)
- slight (adjective)
- tenuous (adjective)
- thin (adjective)
- tottering (adjective)
- transient/transitory (adjective)
- unbodied (adjective)
- uncorporal (adjective)
- unsound (adjective)
- vaporous (adjective)
- weak, imaginary (adjective)
- weightless (adjective)
- aeriform (noun)
- aery (noun)
- insubstantial (noun)
Synonyms for Insubstantial:
-
adj.
• feeble • ghostly • jerry-built • light • meaningless • metaphysical- Supermundane ,
- Supramundane ,
- jesuitic ,
- non-material ,
- oversubtle ,
- suprahuman ,
- supranatural ,
- superhuman .
- Non-existent ,
- few and far between ,
- passed on ,
- ungrounded ,
- without foundation ,
- Perished ,
- null and void ,
- passed away .
- be draggled ,
- be-draggled ,
- brokendown ,
- creakiest ,
- in capacitated ,
- in firmer ,
- in firmest ,
- in substantial ,
- in-capacitated ,
- in-firm ,
- in-firmer ,
- in-firmest ,
- in-substantial ,
- more anile ,
- more battered ,
- more quavering ,
- more tumble down ,
- more tumble-down ,
- most anile ,
- most battered ,
- most quavering ,
- most tumble down ,
- most tumble-down ,
- most worn out ,
- superannuated ,
- tumble down ,
- tumble-down ,
- weather beaten .
- difficult catch ,
- in comprehensible ,
- in definable ,
- in tangible ,
- in-comprehensible ,
- in-definable ,
- in-tangible ,
- mis leading ,
- mis-leading ,
- more elusory ,
- more phantom ,
- more stonewalling ,
- more unspecific ,
- most elusory ,
- most illusory ,
- most phantom ,
- most stonewalling ,
- most unspecific ,
- un specific ,
- un-specific .
- fairier ,
- fairiest ,
- re fined ,
- sub lime ,
- sub-lime ,
- un earthlier ,
- un earthliest ,
- un earthly ,
- un substantial ,
- un worldlier ,
- un worldliest ,
- un worldly ,
- un-earthlier ,
- un-earthliest ,
- un-earthly ,
- un-substantial ,
- un-worldlier ,
- un-worldliest ,
- un-worldly .
- fine grained ,
- finegrained ,
- floatier ,
- floatiest ,
- more chiffon ,
- more cobwebby ,
- more fine grained ,
- more fine-grained ,
- more finegrained ,
- more tiffany ,
- most chiffon ,
- most cobwebby ,
- most fine grained ,
- most fine-grained ,
- most finegrained ,
- most tiffany ,
- trans parent ,
- trans-parent .
- cutrate ,
- house cards ,
- more cut rate ,
- more cut-rate ,
- more cutrate ,
- more papery ,
- more rinkydink ,
- most cut rate ,
- most cut-rate ,
- most cutrate ,
- most papery ,
- most rinkydink ,
- shallower .
- dis embodied ,
- dis-embodied ,
- in appreciable ,
- in corporeal ,
- in discernible ,
- in distinct ,
- in sensible ,
- in-appreciable ,
- in-corporeal ,
- in-discernible ,
- in-distinct ,
- in-sensible ,
- more imprecise ,
- more unapparent ,
- more unperceivable ,
- most imprecise ,
- most unapparent ,
- most unperceivable ,
- un apparent ,
- un observable ,
- un perceivable ,
- un-apparent ,
- un-observable ,
- un-perceivable ,
- unapparent .
- bushleague ,
- glitcher ,
- glitchest ,
- in adequate ,
- in apter ,
- in aptest ,
- in capable ,
- in commensurate ,
- in complete ,
- in considerable ,
- in-adequate ,
- in-apter ,
- in-aptest ,
- in-capable ,
- in-commensurate ,
- in-complete ,
- in-considerable ,
- incapable ,
- incomplete ,
- junker ,
- junkest ,
- lemon ,
- minus ,
- more lemon ,
- more niggardly ,
- more stinted ,
- most lemon ,
- most niggardly ,
- most stinted ,
- too little ,
- un equal ,
- un productive ,
- un qualified ,
- un-equal ,
- un-productive ,
- un-qualified .
- ex posed ,
- ex-posed ,
- in secure ,
- in securer ,
- in securest ,
- in-secure ,
- in-securer ,
- in-securest ,
- more fluctuant ,
- more rootless ,
- more unshielded ,
- most fluctuant ,
- most rootless ,
- most unshielded ,
- open attack ,
- un guarded ,
- un protected ,
- un reliable ,
- un safe ,
- un safer ,
- un safest ,
- un shielded ,
- un stable ,
- un stabler ,
- un stablest ,
- un steadier ,
- un steadiest ,
- un steady ,
- un-guarded ,
- un-protected ,
- un-reliable ,
- un-safe ,
- un-safer ,
- un-safest ,
- un-shielded ,
- un-stable ,
- un-stabler ,
- un-stablest ,
- un-steadier ,
- un-steadiest ,
- unguarded ,
- unprotected .
- in fertile ,
- in-fertile ,
- scrimpest ,
- scrimpier ,
- scrimpiest ,
- skimpest ,
- un finished ,
- un fruitful ,
- un-finished ,
- un-fruitful .
- doughiest ,
- in effective ,
- in-effective ,
- more bleached ,
- more waxlike ,
- more whitish ,
- most bleached ,
- most waxlike ,
- most whitish ,
- pasty ,
- washed-out ,
- washedout ,
- waxlike .
- diddlier ,
- diddliest ,
- more rinky dink ,
- more rinky-dink ,
- most rinky dink ,
- most rinky-dink ,
- rinky dink ,
- rinky-dink ,
- two bit ,
- twobit .
- more attenuate ,
- more beanpole ,
- more beanstalk ,
- more skeleton ,
- most attenuate ,
- most beanpole ,
- most beanstalk ,
- most skeleton ,
- reedier ,
- reediest ,
- stalkier ,
- stalkiest ,
- stickest .
- in conceivable ,
- in credible ,
- in-conceivable ,
- in-credible ,
- more stretched ,
- more unpersuasive ,
- more weak kneed ,
- more weak-kneed ,
- more weakkneed ,
- most diluted ,
- most stretched ,
- most unpersuasive ,
- most weak-kneed ,
- most weakkneed ,
- un believable ,
- un persuasive ,
- un tenable ,
- un-believable ,
- un-persuasive ,
- un-tenable ,
- weak kneed ,
- weakkneed .
- flasher ,
- flashest ,
- fly by night ,
- more deciduous ,
- more emigrating ,
- more migrating ,
- more vacating ,
- most deciduous ,
- most emigrating ,
- most migrating ,
- most vacating ,
- pro visional ,
- short lived ,
- short term ,
- shortlived ,
- shortterm ,
- trans migratory ,
- trans-migratory .
- de ranged ,
- de-ranged ,
- dis eased ,
- dis-eased ,
- in accurate ,
- in congruous ,
- in correct ,
- in sane ,
- in saner ,
- in sanest ,
- in valid ,
- in-congruous ,
- in-sane ,
- in-saner ,
- in-valid ,
- more unbacked ,
- most unbacked ,
- not solid ,
- un backed ,
- un healthier ,
- un healthiest ,
- un healthy ,
- un hinged ,
- un sound ,
- un sounder ,
- un soundest ,
- un-backed ,
- un-balanced ,
- un-healthiest ,
- un-healthy ,
- un-hinged ,
- un-sound ,
- un-sounder ,
- un-soundest .
- airy .
-
n.
• aeriform • aery- aery .
Other synonyms:
- decrepit ,
- disembodied ,
- frail ,
- incorporeal ,
- infirm ,
- metaphysical ,
- puny ,
- spiritual ,
- thin ,
- unsound .
- feeble ,
- flimsy ,
- fragile ,
- immaterial .
- delicate .
- light .
- weak .
Other relevant words:
- Asomatous ,
- Crumbling ,
- Extramundane ,
- Flitting ,
- Gossamery ,
- Inexistent ,
- Non-essential ,
- Omitted ,
- Picayunish ,
- Shattery ,
- Slinky ,
- Subtile ,
- Thinnish ,
- Uncompact ,
- Unenduring ,
- Unfleshly ,
- Unsolid ,
- Unsteadfast ,
- Unsustained ,
- Waterish ,
- Wiredrawn ,
- abstruse ,
- adolescent ,
- adulterated ,
- airy-fairy ,
- apparent ,
- arcane ,
- artificial ,
- assumed ,
- astral ,
- attenuate ,
- attenuated ,
- baseless ,
- beyond repair ,
- blank ,
- body ,
- bootless ,
- boyish ,
- breakable ,
- brittle ,
- broken-down ,
- capricious ,
- celebration ,
- changeable ,
- cheap ,
- chimeric ,
- chimerical ,
- chintzy ,
- cobwebby ,
- concealed ,
- conceptual ,
- corruptible ,
- cosmetic ,
- cranky ,
- creaking ,
- creaky ,
- cursory ,
- cut ,
- dainty ,
- dangerous ,
- deciduous ,
- deep ,
- defalcation ,
- deficiency ,
- deficit ,
- delusional ,
- delusionary ,
- delusive ,
- delusory ,
- demonstration ,
- derelict ,
- desultory ,
- diaphanous ,
- dilapidated ,
- dilute ,
- diluted ,
- dim ,
- diminutive ,
- discreet ,
- doubtful ,
- dreamlike ,
- dreamy ,
- drooping ,
- dubious ,
- dying ,
- elusive ,
- empty ,
- ephemeral ,
- evanescent ,
- exhibition ,
- exposition ,
- external ,
- facile ,
- fading ,
- faint ,
- fake ,
- falling apart ,
- falling down ,
- false ,
- fancied ,
- fanciful ,
- fantastic ,
- feathery ,
- fickle ,
- fictitious ,
- field day ,
- filmy ,
- fine ,
- fine-drawn ,
- finespun ,
- flashy ,
- fleeting ,
- flourish of trumpets ,
- fluffy ,
- fly-by-night ,
- flying ,
- flying colors ,
- formless ,
- frangible ,
- frivolous ,
- frothy ,
- fugacious ,
- fugitive ,
- gala ,
- gaseous ,
- gauzy ,
- ghostly ,
- gimcrack ,
- gingerbread ,
- girlish ,
- glib ,
- gossamer ,
- gracile ,
- groundless ,
- half-baked ,
- hallucinational ,
- hallucinative ,
- hallucinatory ,
- hazardous ,
- hazy ,
- hidden ,
- hollow ,
- hypocritical ,
- hypothetical ,
- idle ,
- illusional ,
- illusionary ,
- illusive ,
- illusory ,
- imaginary ,
- impalpable ,
- imperceptible ,
- impermanent ,
- impetuous ,
- implausible ,
- imponderable ,
- imprecise ,
- impulsive ,
- in disrepair ,
- inadequacy ,
- inadequate ,
- inconclusive ,
- inconsequential ,
- inconsiderable ,
- inconstant ,
- incorporate ,
- indefinite ,
- ineffective ,
- ineffectual ,
- inefficacious ,
- inessential ,
- insecure ,
- insignificant ,
- insincere ,
- insipid ,
- insufficiency ,
- insufficient ,
- intangible ,
- irrelevant ,
- jerry-built ,
- juvenile ,
- lack ,
- lacy ,
- lame ,
- lightweight ,
- little ,
- made-up ,
- makeshift ,
- meager ,
- meagre ,
- meaningless ,
- microscopic ,
- midget ,
- minimal ,
- minor ,
- minuscule ,
- minute ,
- missing ,
- misty ,
- mock ,
- momentary ,
- mortal ,
- mutable ,
- namby-pamby ,
- nebulous ,
- negative ,
- neglected ,
- negligible ,
- niggling ,
- nominal ,
- nondurable ,
- nonexistent ,
- nonmaterial ,
- nonpermanent ,
- not difficult ,
- nugatory ,
- obscure ,
- occult ,
- of no moment ,
- otherworldly ,
- outward ,
- pageant ,
- pageantry ,
- pale ,
- paltry ,
- paper ,
- passing ,
- paucity ,
- peekaboo ,
- perilous ,
- perishable ,
- petty ,
- phantasmagoric ,
- phantasmagorical ,
- phantasmal ,
- phantom ,
- piddling ,
- piddly ,
- pointless ,
- poor ,
- poverty ,
- precarious ,
- pretended ,
- procession ,
- profound ,
- promenade ,
- provisional ,
- psychic ,
- psychical ,
- puerile ,
- purposeless ,
- ramshackle ,
- rare ,
- rarefied ,
- recondite ,
- remote ,
- review ,
- rickety ,
- risky ,
- ruined ,
- run-down ,
- scant ,
- scantiness ,
- scanty ,
- scarceness ,
- see through ,
- senseless ,
- set out ,
- shabby ,
- shaky ,
- shallow ,
- sheer ,
- shifting ,
- shifty ,
- shoddy ,
- short-lived ,
- shortage ,
- simulated ,
- sketchy ,
- skin-deep ,
- sleazy ,
- slender ,
- slick ,
- slight ,
- slim ,
- slippery ,
- slipshod ,
- small ,
- sophistic ,
- spectacle ,
- spectral ,
- stringy ,
- subtle ,
- superficial ,
- supernatural ,
- surface ,
- surreal ,
- svelte ,
- sylphlike ,
- synthetic ,
- tatty ,
- tawdry ,
- temporal ,
- temporary ,
- tentative ,
- thin-bodied ,
- thinned ,
- threadlike ,
- ticklish ,
- tiny ,
- to no avail ,
- token ,
- tomfoolery ,
- too little too late ,
- tottering ,
- tottery ,
- transient ,
- transitive ,
- transitory ,
- translucent ,
- transmundane ,
- transparent ,
- treacherous ,
- trifling ,
- trivial ,
- tumbledown ,
- unavailing ,
- unbelievable ,
- uncompressed ,
- unconcrete ,
- unconvincing ,
- undependable ,
- underage ,
- undirected ,
- unearthly ,
- unembodied ,
- unessential ,
- unextended ,
- unimportant ,
- unperceivable ,
- unphysical ,
- unprofound ,
- unproved ,
- unrealistic ,
- unreliable ,
- unsatisfactory ,
- unsatisfying ,
- unstable ,
- unsteady ,
- unsure ,
- untrustworthy ,
- unworldly ,
- vague ,
- vain ,
- valueless ,
- vaporous ,
- veiled ,
- visionary ,
- volatile ,
- wasp-waisted ,
- watered ,
- watered-down ,
- watery ,
- weightless ,
- wet ,
- willowy ,
- windy ,
- wishy-washy ,
- wispy ,
- wobbling ,
- wobbly ,
- worthless .
- Elusory ,
- Fluctuant ,
- Halituous ,
- Stalky ,
- anile ,
- beanstalk ,
- broken down ,
- chiffon ,
- creakier ,
- cut rate ,
- cut-rate ,
- difficult to catch ,
- discorporate ,
- doughier ,
- doughy ,
- ethereal ,
- fine-grained ,
- flawed ,
- floaty ,
- found wanting ,
- fracturable ,
- house of cards ,
- in firm ,
- in poor health ,
- light as a feather ,
- niggardly ,
- not enough ,
- open to attack ,
- reedy ,
- rinkydink ,
- rootless ,
- scrimper ,
- scrimpy ,
- seethrough ,
- shatterable ,
- skimper ,
- sticker ,
- tiffany ,
- unbacked ,
- unpersuasive ,
- unreal ,
- unshielded ,
- unspecific ,
- washed out ,
- weatherbeaten ,
- whitish ,
- wornout .
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How to use "Insubstantial" in context?
Insubstantial can mean very light or airy. It can also mean not substantial enough to be taken seriously.
Paraphrases for Insubstantial:
Paraphrases are highlighted according to their relevancy:
- highest relevancy
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-
Independent
-
Adjective
disappointing, flimsy, inconsistent, insufficient, meagre, negligible, scant, scarce, weak.
-
Adjective
-
Other Related
-
Adjective
feeble, inadequate, inconsequential, insignificant, lean, poor, sparse, thin, trifling, unsatisfactory.
-
Adjective
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do anyhow
- Synonyms:
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