insubstantial
Lacking real substance
Insubstantial means lacking substance or solidity.
Something insubstantial might be physically flimsy: an insubstantial wooden fence that wouldn't keep out a determined dog.
More often the word describes things that lack weight or significance: insubstantial evidence, an insubstantial meal that left everyone still hungry.
Ghosts and apparitions are insubstantial—present but not truly there.
Easily broken or damaged
- delicateEasily broken or harmed
- thinSmall in diameter
- gossamerFilmy, delicate material
- tenuousLacking solid foundation
wispy · diaphanous · gauzy · sheer · filmy · translucent · skeletal · rickety
Resembling a specter
- spectralGhostlike or wavelength-related
- phantasmalLike an apparition
- incorporealNot made of matter
- immaterialLacking physical form; unimportant
vaporous · shadowy · otherworldly · wraithlike · misty · dreamlike · apparitional · illusory
Lacking significance or weight
- negligibleToo small to consider
- inconsequentialLacking significance or impact
- triflingOf no real importance
- minorScale with lowered third
petty · paltry · meager · slight · marginal · nominal · minimal · inconsiderable
Passing very quickly
- transientTemporary, soon departing
- momentaryLasting very briefly
- temporaryLimited in duration
- evanescentTending to vanish quickly
short-lived · impermanent · passing · brief · transitory · vanishing · fading · volatile
fragile
Easily broken or damaged
tenuous · wispy · diaphanous · gauzy · sheer · filmy · translucent · skeletal · rickety · brittle
ghostly
Resembling a specter
- spectralGhostlike or wavelength-related
- phantasmalLike an apparition
- incorporealNot made of matter
immaterial · vaporous · shadowy · otherworldly · wraithlike · misty · dreamlike · apparitional · illusory · phantom
trivial
Lacking significance or weight
- negligibleToo small to consider
- inconsequentialLacking significance or impact
- triflingOf no real importance
minor · petty · paltry · meager · slight · marginal · nominal · minimal · inconsiderable · token
fleeting
Passing very quickly
evanescent · short-lived · impermanent · passing · brief · transitory · vanishing · fading · volatile · evaporating
insubstantialsolid
Firm matter state
substantial · tangible · material · physical · corporeal
insubstantialsubstantial
Of notable size or importance
significant · weighty · consequential · meaningful · important
insubstantialsubstantial
Of notable size or importance
ample · generous · plentiful · abundant · considerable