almost substantial

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "almost substantial" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that is nearly significant or considerable, but not quite there. Example: "The evidence presented was almost substantial enough to warrant further investigation."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Even the original thin wall paneling, painted a crisp, glossy white, looks almost substantial.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

She "looked out of place almost anywhere substantial".

The New Yorker

Dense and opaque, the light is almost as substantial as the seated figure.

The Guardian - Arts

And five whole grilled sardines -- briny, smoky, crunchy -- are almost too substantial to be an appetizer.

The New York Times

Jay Holman, a research manager at IDC Energy Insights, a market research firm, said precise numbers on the share of the market being driven by leases and power-purchase contracts was hard to come by -- though he said it was almost certainly substantial.

Huffington Post

In these clusters, size variation among the members of each cluster is almost always substantial.

Plosone

The 95% confidence interval of Fleiss' kappa was calculated as described [ 27], with Fleiss' kappa scores of 1.0, 0.61 0.80, 0.41 0.60, 0.2 0.400, 0.2–0.40 and <0.2 indicating perfect, almost perfect, substantial, moderate and poor agreement, respectively.

BMC Pediatrics

The percentage of agreement was calculated as follows: (Number of tumors to which the three observers assigned an identical score/total number of tumors) × 100 The level of agreement was categorized as almost perfect, substantial, moderate, fair, and slight when the κ value was >0.80, >0.60-0.80, >0.20-0.40, 0-0.20 0-0.20nd 0-0.20, respectively [ 26, 27].

BMC Cancer

If you try to make the roux with the meat stock (drippings) the water in the drippings... yes, there is almost always substantial water in the drippings, and they will get you every time.

WikiHow

And he would need to do so despite Mr. Romney having accumulated what is almost certainly a substantial head start in early voting.

The New York Times

Terras Gauda Abadia de San Campio: $16 ** 1/2 [Rating: two and a half stars] Rías Baixas 2002 Deep and substantial, almost like a viognier, with rich aromas of lemons, pears and flowers.

The New York Times - Food

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "almost substantial", ensure the context clarifies what the subject is approaching in terms of significance or size. This adds precision and avoids ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "almost substantial" when the subject is clearly insignificant or significantly large. This phrase implies a degree of nearness to being substantial, so misuse can mislead your audience.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "almost substantial" functions as a descriptive modifier, specifically an adjective phrase modifying a noun. It indicates a quality that is close to being "substantial" but not fully realized. Ludwig AI confirms this usage, showing it describes a state of near substantiality, used to qualify other nouns or ideas.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

41%

Science

37%

Encyclopedias

9%

Less common in

Wiki

4%

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "almost substantial" serves as a nuanced qualifier, indicating that something is nearing substantiality without fully achieving it. Ludwig AI underlines that it's used to describe a quality that is close to being "substantial", but not quite there. With moderate frequency across diverse contexts such as News & Media and Scientific publications, it conveys a balanced assessment, suitable for scenarios demanding precision. When writing, clarify what attribute is approaching substantiality to ensure clarity. By employing alternatives such as "nearly considerable" or "virtually significant", writers can further fine-tune their expression to reflect the specific degree of approximation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

almost significant

Directly indicates a near state of significance.

nearly considerable

Indicates something approaches being considerable but doesn't quite reach that level.

close to considerable

Simply restates the proximity to being considerable.

virtually significant

Emphasizes that something is so close to being significant that it's practically significant.

substantially near

Reverses the order while retaining the core meaning of near substantiality.

practically material

Highlights that something is almost material or important in a practical sense.

tangibly important

Highlights that something is almost tangibly or perceptibly important.

effectively weighty

Suggests that something has almost the same impact or importance as something weighty.

approaching notable

Indicates something is getting close to being notable or worthy of attention.

borderline meaningful

Implies something is on the edge of being meaningful but might not fully qualify.

FAQs

What does "almost substantial" mean?

The phrase "almost substantial" indicates that something is close to being considerable or significant but does not quite reach that level. It suggests a state nearing substantiality without fully achieving it.

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

You can use "almost substantial" to describe something that is nearly but not completely significant or large. For example: "The evidence presented was "almost substantial" enough to warrant further investigation."

What are some alternatives to "almost substantial"?

Alternatives to "almost substantial" include "nearly considerable", "virtually significant", or "practically material", depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

In what contexts is it appropriate to use "almost substantial"?

It's appropriate to use "almost substantial" in contexts where you want to convey that something is approaching a significant level or size but has not fully reached it. This can be used in discussions of evidence, impact, or any measurable quantity.