unsubstantial

adjective
UK: /ˌʌnsəbˈstænʃəl/
US: /ˌʌnsəbˈstænʃəl/

  1. Not solid or real; lacking substance.

    1. The ghost was unsubstantial and faded quickly.
    2. Her claims were unsubstantial; there was no proof to back them up.

  2. Lacking importance or weight; insignificant.

    1. The problem was unsubstantial, so I ignored it.
    2. The evidence presented was unsubstantial to prove the defendant's guilt.

  3. Weak or flimsy; not strong or durable.

    1. The house was unsubstantial and not safe.
    2. The bridge was unsubstantial, swaying in the strong wind.

Synonyms

insubstantial tenuous flimsy weak fragile illusory airy shadowy

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "unsubstantial" in English means: Not solid or real; lacking substance., Lacking importance or weight; insignificant., Weak or flimsy; not strong or durable..

The phonetic transcription of "unsubstantial" is /ˌʌnsəbˈstænʃəl/ in British English and /ˌʌnsəbˈstænʃəl/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "unsubstantial": insubstantial, tenuous, flimsy, weak, fragile, illusory, airy, shadowy.

Example usage of "unsubstantial": "The ghost was unsubstantial and faded quickly.". More examples on the page.