substantive meaning

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "substantive meaning" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing the essential or significant meaning of a concept, statement, or text. Example: "In our analysis, we need to focus on the substantive meaning of the author's argument rather than just the surface details."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

25 human-written examples

All these things have substantive meaning in the way things are done".

The New York Times

No one has ever figured out a way to give it substantive meaning.

The New Yorker

In other words, museums will one day bring the same intellectual attention to the substantive meaning of video game exhibitions as they do for, say, painting exhibitions.

The New York Times

Sturdy cliches and watchwords have lost any substantive meaning, and the people who mouth them onstage appear to be on runaway automatic pilot.

The New York Times

Although the vote in Maine had no substantive meaning in terms of delegates, losing it could have created a political headache for Mr. Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts, and extended a negative storyline that had been building since last week when he lost Colorado, Minnesota and Missouri to Rick Santorum.

The New York Times

Although the vote had no substantive meaning in terms of delegates, losing it could have created a political headache for Mr. Romney, the former governor of nearby Massachusetts, and extended a negative storyline that had been building since last week when he lost Colorado, Minnesota and Missouri to Mr. Santorum.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

34 human-written examples

The second aesthetic quality is that of colour, the darkness or lightness of the block of type sensed somehow as a whole rather than as a collection of individual letter forms with substantive meanings.

Encyclopedia Britannica

My blackness--a term that I've always found to be devoid of substantive meaning--it seems is under siege.

Huffington Post

This technique provides better estimates and gives substantive meanings to data clustering in comparison with traditional regression analysis [ 24].

BMC Oral Health

When logit measures are compared between tests (tests of the same construct with different items), their probabilistic meaning is maintained but their substantive meanings may differ.

Health and Quality of Life Outcomes

Transcripts were read and re-read, and coded to preliminary categories and emerging themes of substantive meanings through an iterative process.

BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "substantive meaning", ensure that you're referring to the essential and significant aspect of a concept or idea, rather than a superficial interpretation. Consider whether alternative terms like "essential meaning" or "significant meaning" might provide greater clarity in specific contexts.

Common error

Avoid using "substantive meaning" when a simpler term like "meaning" or "significance" would suffice. Overusing the phrase in straightforward contexts can make your writing sound unnecessarily verbose or pretentious.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "substantive meaning" functions as a noun phrase, typically serving as the object of a verb or preposition. It identifies the core, essential, or significant aspect of a concept or idea, as evidenced by the examples Ludwig provides.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

40%

News & Media

30%

Encyclopedias

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "substantive meaning" refers to the essential and significant aspect of a concept or idea. As Ludwig AI indicates, the phrase is grammatically correct and usable in written English. It is most frequently found in scientific and news contexts, suggesting a formal and analytical tone. While "substantive meaning" is a valid phrase, consider alternative terms like "essential meaning" or "significant meaning" for clarity and precision. Avoid overusing it in simple contexts to maintain a clear and concise writing style.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

essential meaning

Replaces "substantive" with "essential", emphasizing the core and indispensable aspect of meaning.

significant meaning

Substitutes "substantive" with "significant", highlighting the importance and weight of the meaning.

core meaning

Focuses on the central and fundamental meaning, using "core" instead of "substantive".

real meaning

Emphasizes the authenticity and genuineness of the meaning, using "real" in place of "substantive".

underlying meaning

Highlights the implicit and foundational meaning, substituting "substantive" with "underlying".

actual meaning

Replaces "substantive" with "actual", emphasizing the factual and concrete meaning.

true meaning

Focuses on the accuracy and validity of the meaning, using "true" instead of "substantive".

intrinsic meaning

Highlights the inherent and essential meaning, substituting "substantive" with "intrinsic".

concrete meaning

Emphasizes the tangible and definite meaning, using "concrete" in place of "substantive".

fundamental meaning

Substitutes "substantive" with "fundamental", stressing the basic and essential nature of the meaning.

FAQs

What does "substantive meaning" refer to?

The phrase "substantive meaning" refers to the essential, significant, or real meaning of something, as opposed to a superficial or trivial interpretation. It highlights the core importance of the concept being discussed.

How can I use "substantive meaning" in a sentence?

You can use "substantive meaning" to emphasize the depth and importance of an idea. For example, "In our analysis, we need to focus on the "substantive meaning" of the author's argument rather than just the surface details."

What can I say instead of "substantive meaning"?

You can use alternatives like "essential meaning", "significant meaning", or "core meaning" depending on the context.

Is "substantive meaning" the same as "actual meaning"?

While both phrases relate to the real essence, "substantive meaning" implies a deeper, more significant level of meaning than "actual meaning", which simply refers to what is really meant.