Cool MateConsiderably vs Substantially
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Considerably
Top 1,000 (very common)B2adverb
Substantially
FormalTop 2,000 (common)C1adverb
Most formal: SubstantiallyMost common: Considerably
| Considerably | Substantially | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/kənˈsɪdərəbli/"]/🇺🇸 /["/kənˈsɪdərəbli/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/səbˈstænʃəli/"]/🇺🇸 /["/səbˈstænʃəli/"]/ |
| Meaning | A lot; to a great extent. | A lot or greatly; a significant amount. |
| Example | The need for sleep varies considerably from person to person. | The costs have increased substantially. |
| Register | Neutral | Formal |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | B2 | C1 |
| Part of speech | adverb | adverb |
| Collocations | considerably higher, considerably lower, considerably improved, considerably more, considerably better | substantially increase, substantially improve, substantially higher, substantially lower |
| Antonyms | slightly, marginally, insignificantly, minimally | slightly, marginally |
| Common mistakes | Confusing with 'consider' which means to think about something., Using 'considerably' without an adjective/adverb to modify., Misplacing 'considerably' in a sentence, affecting the meaning. | 'Substantial' is confused with 'substantially.', Using 'substantially' in casual contexts incorrectly., Incorrectly using 'substantially' as an adjective. |
| Usage notes | Use 'considerably' in more formal contexts, such as reports or academic writing. It may not be suitable for very casual conversations. | Use 'substantially' in formal writing or discussions. It's appropriate for academic, business, or legal contexts but may sound overly complex in casual conversations. |
Frequently asked questions: Considerably vs Substantially
What's the difference between Considerably and Substantially?
Considerably: A lot; to a great extent. Substantially: A lot or greatly; a significant amount.
Which is more formal: Considerably and Substantially?
Substantially is the most formal of these.
Which is more common: Considerably and Substantially?
Considerably is the most common in everyday English.
Are Considerably and Substantially the same CEFR level?
Considerably: B2, Substantially: C1 on the CEFR scale.
Can I use Considerably and Substantially interchangeably?
Not always. Considerably and Substantially are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.