substantial but important

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "substantial but important" is not correct as it is contradictory; "substantial" implies significance, making "but important" redundant.
You can use it when trying to emphasize the importance of something that is already considered significant, but it would be better to rephrase for clarity. Example: "The findings of the study are substantial, highlighting the important implications for future research."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Validating all of the predictions made here represents a substantial but important undertaking.

BMC Systems Biology

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Ki-67 labeling index presents more substantial challenges, but important guidelines for this test are under development [ 7, 83– 83].

Annals of Oncology

The Yankees are essentially fielding the same team from the end of last season, now without the substantial contributions of Nick Swisher, who on Sunday agreed to a four-year, $56 million contract with the Cleveland Indians, and the less substantial, but still important, contributions from Ibanez, who agreed to a one-year contract with the Seattle Mariners on Friday.

The New York Times - Sports

The productivity costs of obesity have been well-documented in a variety of studies, with widespread consensus that such costs are substantial, but with important differences in magnitude between the individual estimates.

Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity: Targets and Therapy

Evan Rytlewski of The A.V. Club wrote that "without playing into cheap 'tortured by fame' tropes, she's made an emotional album that's dense and substantial but never difficult or self-important".

Wikipedia

But if you're building something substantial and important, then there should be more people like me that can recognize that, who can look at A versus A prime, and say, 'Hey, A is better because they've done the work, and they'e done something that's going to matter in 15 to 20 years, and they deserve to be rewarded.'".

TechCrunch

Heaney leaves an substantial and important body of work; his poems always had the human touch.

The Guardian - Opinion

It's strange that such a substantial and important work in Lindberg's output should have gone unheard in this country for almost a decade.

The Guardian - Music

These policy changes are a substantial and important first step in limiting unnecessary and overbroad requests for reporters' information and confidential sources.

The New Yorker

Scientists have hailed the genetic modification of mosquitoes that could crash the insect's populations as a "quantum leap" that will make a substantial and important contribution to eradicating malaria.

The Guardian

But whereas much of the classical debate takes the issue of the primary bearers of truth to be a substantial and important metaphysical one, Tarski is quite casual about it.

SEP

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When emphasizing the importance of something already substantial, consider rephrasing for clarity. For example, use "particularly important" or "especially significant" instead of "substantial but important".

Common error

Avoid using "but important" immediately after "substantial" as it can sound redundant. If you want to stress the importance, use alternatives that provide additional context or nuance.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "substantial but important" functions as a compound adjective modifying a noun. It aims to describe something as both significant in size or amount (substantial) and of great value or consequence (important). Ludwig AI indicates this phrase is not correct because is contradictory.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

39%

News & Media

39%

Wiki

6%

Less common in

Formal & Business

4%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "substantial but important" attempts to convey that something is both significant in size/amount and carries great value. However, Ludwig AI suggests this phrase is not correct because is contradictory since "substantial" already implies a degree of importance. Grammatically, it functions as a compound adjective. While its usage is observed across various contexts like Science and News & Media, it is relatively rare. For clarity and to avoid redundancy, consider alternatives such as "significant yet noteworthy" or "particularly important". Pay attention to avoid redundancy when emphasizing the importance of something already significant.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

significant yet noteworthy

Emphasizes the noteworthiness of something already significant.

considerable yet essential

Highlights the essential nature of something already considerable.

meaningful and consequential

Stresses the lasting impact and results of something.

material and relevant

Focuses on the practical importance and pertinence.

sizeable and critical

Emphasizes the vital and crucial aspect of something large.

momentous and vital

Emphasizes the importance and cruciality of something in a particular moment.

notable and indispensable

Highlights the necessity and irreplaceability of something remarkable.

impactful and crucial

Focuses on the critical importance and power of influence.

weighty and significant

Emphasizes the importance and the high degree of notability.

valuable and strategic

Highlights the strategic advantage of something valuable.

FAQs

Is "substantial but important" grammatically correct?

While not strictly incorrect, "substantial but important" can be seen as redundant since "substantial" already implies importance. Consider alternatives for clarity.

What phrases can I use instead of "substantial but important"?

You can use alternatives like "significant yet noteworthy", "considerable yet essential", or "material and relevant" depending on the context.

How to emphasize the importance of something already significant?

Instead of saying "substantial but important", use phrases like "particularly important" or "especially significant" to add emphasis without sounding redundant.

What is the difference between "substantial and important" and "substantial but important"?

"Substantial and important" simply lists two positive attributes. "Substantial but important" implies a contrast or unexpected emphasis on the importance despite the substantial nature, which may be confusing.