substances

noun

plural of substance
1
as in essences
the quality or qualities that make a thing what it is tireless caring and nurturing that was the very substance of maternal love

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in entities
one that has a real and independent existence the question of whether the soul is a substance entirely independent of the body

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of substances Buprenorphine is especially useful for reducing opioid withdrawal and craving while providing some protection against the effects of more powerful opioid substances. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Aug. 2026 Some undergo cosmetic procedures and reportedly inject their bodies with peptides, testosterone, and other substances that enhance their physiques. — José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 27 Aug. 2026 The state's attorney's office said the substances found during the search field tested positive for cocaine and fentanyl. — Cbs Chicago Team, CBS News, 27 Aug. 2026 Robots had 30 minutes to identify hazardous substances, locate and shut off three open valves of different types, spot a fire, and then find a fire extinguisher to put it out. — Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 25 Aug. 2026 Hospitals are major repositories of addictive substances that can also be crucial medical treatments. — Alexandra Byrne, STAT, 25 Aug. 2026 There's debate among researchers over why younger Americans appear to be using substances less frequently, pivoting away from high-risk drugs in particular, but the results are hopeful. — Brian Mann, NPR, 24 Aug. 2026 In the 1850s, while living in Seneca Falls, New York, amateur scientist Eunice Newton Foote did a series of experiments that put different substances, including carbon dioxide and moist air, inside glass cylinders and left them in the sun. — Peter Prengaman, Fortune, 24 Aug. 2026 Materials engineered to respond predictably to light could potentially form part of highly sensitive sensing technologies designed to provide earlier warning of hazardous substances. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 22 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for substances
  1. essences
  2. entities
  3. natures
  4. objects
  5. things
  6. realities
Noun
  • To experience a thicker, chewier noodle, order the tsukemen (dipping-style ramen) with a broth, as dense as gravy, fusing the essences of pork, chicken and fish.
    — Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Common formats include serums, moisturizers and creams, cleansers, essences and toners, and masks.
    — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Charlotte Observer, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of essences
Noun
  • Since September 2025, 18 law enforcement entities, including county sheriffs offices and city police agencies, have requested money for about 440 license plate readers through the State Board of Immigration Enforcement’s grant program.
    — Ana Goñi-Lessan, Miami Herald, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Years spent reviewing the financial controls of government entities as an external auditor, followed by service on boards and audit committees across several industries, taught a lesson that has outlasted every subsequent role.
    — Amer Al Ahbabi, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of entities
Noun
  • Dark matter and dark energy, also not yet directly observed, together are the source of the vast majority of energy in the universe, but their physical natures are unknown.
    — Don Figer, The Conversation, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Create characters built around lifepaths, natures, clan traits, and merits.
    — Jennifer Maas, Variety, 30 July 2026
Definition of natures
Noun
  • The great physicist Albert Einstein had predicted in his theory of gravity an equivalence principle, which the scientists wondered, applied to quantum objects as well.
    — Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 2 Sep. 2026
  • This time round, Horvat is on to something even more deliciously odd with a study that mashes together grief, matrimonial disharmony, the alien nature of mathematical minds, and desire’s wild pursuit of obscure objects.
    — Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of objects
Noun
  • You could be tempted to dismiss a creative venture or categorize a social invite as frivolous, all because there are more productive things to do.
    — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The curved back is another nice touch that keeps things modern and fresh.
    — Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of things
Noun
  • But even still, experts say the realities of construction –– blasting through rock with dynamite, pouring concrete into natural landforms and storing water in reservoirs –– could have unintended effects.
    — Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Amid the security crisis and its fallout of economic hardship in the region, nightlife offers people an escape from the tough realities, said Idowu.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of realities

Browse Nearby Words

substance
substances
substandard
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Cite this Entry

“Substances.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/substances. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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