a substantial audience

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a substantial audience" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use this phrase when referring to a large group of people who come to observe or listen to something. For example: "The lecture had a substantial audience of over 200 people."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

39 human-written examples

Unsurprisingly, the concert drew a substantial audience.

The New York Times - Arts

The league has added four teams and has picked up a substantial audience.

The New York Times

His major-label deal, now ended, failed to find him a substantial audience.

The Guardian - Music

Only on its reissue in the 21st century did it find a substantial audience.

The Guardian - Books

Recently, Mel Brooks's 1967 comedy "The Producers" drew a substantial audience.

The New York Times

By drawing a substantial audience in the afternoon, it has helped the shows that come later in the day.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

20 human-written examples

"I think there was a very substantial audience for this debate and it's crazy to say that a debate watched by perhaps more than 20 million people has no importance".

The New York Times

We've built a very substantial audience.

The Guardian - Film

Expand this to include a more substantial audience of, say, 5m viewers requesting multiple movies, and suddenly the cost to the content provider becomes prohibitive.

The Economist

While a final vote by Parliament on the legislation has yet to be scheduled, colleges are already making plans, anticipating they will find an eager and substantial audience, consultants say.

The New York Times

(As an example, for the substantial audience only watching on the weekends, we are currently asking them to watch five hours of programming to keep pace with our release schedule)." Prospect Park also found that viewers are not watching both shows.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When aiming to highlight the broad appeal of a product, event or media content, use "a substantial audience" to indicate that it attracts a large number of participants or viewers.

Common error

Avoid substituting "substantial audience" with "subsidiary audience". "Subsidiary" implies something secondary or supplemental, which inaccurately describes a main or large audience.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a substantial audience" functions as a noun phrase that typically acts as the subject or object of a sentence. Ludwig shows that it describes a significant group of people, emphasizing their size and potential influence.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Encyclopedias

20%

Wiki

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "a substantial audience" is a grammatically correct and usable expression used to describe a significantly sized group of people. Ludwig's analysis shows it's most commonly found in news and media contexts. While "substantial" indicates size, it also hints at importance or influence, making it a stronger choice than simply saying "large". Remember to avoid confusion with "subsidiary" and use this phrase when you want to emphasize the broad appeal or impact of something reaching many people.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a considerable audience

Replaces "substantial" with "considerable", suggesting a notable or significant size.

a significant audience

Uses "significant" instead of "substantial", indicating importance or impact due to size.

a large crowd

Shifts from "audience" to "crowd", emphasizing the physical presence of a large gathering.

a numerous audience

Substitutes "substantial" with "numerous", highlighting the high count of individuals.

a packed house

Idiomatic expression indicating a venue filled to capacity, differing from a mere sizable audience.

a full turnout

Focuses on the act of people attending, rather than the audience's characteristics.

an extensive viewership

Specifies the audience as viewers, typically for broadcasts or online content.

a wide following

Suggests a group of people who actively support or admire something.

a receptive public

Highlights the audience's openness and willingness to engage with the content.

standing room only

Indicates that all seats are taken, and people are standing to watch or listen.

FAQs

How can I use "a substantial audience" in a sentence?

You can use "a substantial audience" to describe a significantly large group of people attending an event or consuming media, such as "The film attracted a substantial audience during its opening weekend".

What are some alternatives to "a substantial audience"?

You can use alternatives like "a considerable audience", "a significant audience", or "a large crowd" depending on the context.

Is it better to say "a large audience" or "a substantial audience"?

Both "a large audience" and "a substantial audience" are correct, but "substantial" often implies not just size, but also importance or impact. The best choice depends on the nuance you want to convey.

Can "a substantial audience" refer to online viewers?

Yes, "a substantial audience" can refer to online viewers, readers or users. For example, "The webinar reached a substantial audience through social media promotion".