substantially

Everyday

1. (formal) Substantially means by a large amount, a lot: prices rose substantially. tree →
2. (formal) Substantially can mean mainly or in most ways: the two stories are substantially the same. tree →

In the lessons

Formal, exam and news word; in maths in formal voice, «substantially more» means much more, though how much is not exact. Plain words: a lot, much, greatly, mostly.

Examples

• The new bridge is substantially longer than the old one. tree →
• Our class raised substantially more money this year. tree →
• Prices have risen substantially. tree →
• The plan was substantially changed after the meeting. tree →
• Her reading has improved substantially. tree →
• The two pictures are substantially the same, with only small differences. tree →
• In it the letters have substantially their English sound. tree →

Note

Formal; in everyday talk say «a lot» or «much». It does not give an exact number: in a maths problem «substantially more» tells you «more», not how many — look for the numbers elsewhere. Adjective: substantial (large, solid: a substantial meal).