is pretty substantial

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "is pretty substantial" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that is significant or considerable in size, amount, or importance. Example: "The evidence presented in the report is pretty substantial, indicating a strong correlation between the variables."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

15 human-written examples

It is pretty substantial".

The New York Times

That is pretty substantial glue".

The New York Times - Sports

"The cost in time is pretty substantial.

The New York Times - Magazine

The correlation between the two sets of data is 0.54, which is pretty substantial.

The Economist

"The damage is pretty substantial," he said, "and we haven't even begun to guess when it will be repaired".

The New York Times

"The amount of money to be had is pretty substantial," said Chris Viehbacher, president of Glaxo's European pharmaceutical division.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

44 human-written examples

"The bigger surprise was the jump in unit labor costs that was pretty substantial.

The New York Times

"You're talking about a wholesale change of a global brand, and that's pretty substantial.

The New York Times - Sports

He said the men who commute with him from upper Westchester are pretty substantial.

The New Yorker

"The glasses are pretty substantial — you can use the martini glass or as a dessert dish — and when you pick them up, you feel that they're heavy".

The New York Times

Yet according to Ms. Duflo, "the level of discrepancy between what people do and what we as economists think they should do can be pretty substantial".

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "is pretty substantial" to convey that something is significant or considerable, but be mindful of your audience, as it can be considered somewhat informal. In formal writing, consider alternatives like "is quite significant".

Common error

While "is pretty substantial" is acceptable in many situations, avoid overusing it in formal documents. Vary your language to maintain a professional tone by opting for more formal synonyms like "is quite considerable" or "is significantly large".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "is pretty substantial" functions as a predicate adjective, modifying a noun or pronoun to describe its quality or state. It indicates that something possesses a considerable or significant degree of substance, size, or importance. This is consistent with examples found using Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

20%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Reference

3%

Social Media

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "is pretty substantial" is a commonly used expression to describe something of considerable size, amount, or importance. As Ludwig AI indicates, the phrase is grammatically correct and functions as a predicate adjective. While the phrase is generally suitable for diverse contexts, ranging from News & Media to Science, it is more apt for neutral or informal situations. More formal writing could benefit from stronger synonyms. Top authoritative sources include The New York Times and The Guardian. Understanding these nuances will help you use the phrase effectively in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

is quite considerable

Uses "quite" instead of "pretty", and "considerable" instead of "substantial", slightly more formal.

is fairly significant

Replaces "pretty substantial" with "fairly significant", maintains a similar level of emphasis.

is quite significant

Replaces "pretty substantial" with "quite significant", slightly emphasizing importance.

is notably important

Shifts focus to the importance rather than size, more formal.

is rather large

Focuses on size rather than general importance, less formal.

is quite extensive

Emphasizes the breadth or scope rather than just size.

is remarkably large

Emphasizes the size with "remarkably", suggesting the size is surprising.

is markedly large

Uses "markedly" to indicate a clear and noticeable size, slightly formal.

is reasonably sized

Emphasizes that the size is reasonable or adequate.

is notably sized

Focuses on the noticeability of the size.

FAQs

What does "is pretty substantial" mean?

The phrase "is pretty substantial" means that something is significant in size, amount, or importance. It suggests that the thing being described is considerable and should not be overlooked.

What can I say instead of "is pretty substantial"?

You can use alternatives like "is quite considerable", "is fairly significant", or "is rather large" depending on the context.

In what contexts is "is pretty substantial" most appropriate?

The phrase "is pretty substantial" is generally suitable for informal or neutral contexts. In more formal writing, consider using a more sophisticated synonym.

Is there a difference between "is pretty substantial" and "is very substantial"?

Yes, "is very substantial" is stronger and more emphatic than "is pretty substantial". "Pretty" softens the statement, while "very" reinforces it, making "is very substantial" more suitable for emphasizing something's importance.