in substance
1. Concerning or related to the essential elements; fundamentally or substantially. In substance, the proposed bill would reduce the amount of calories in meals served at school cafeterias, though the details of how this would be implemented aren't yet clear. Sure, this all sounds impressive, but does it actually change anything in substance from the existing policy? If your plan amounts to, in substance, taking rights away from people, you're going to have a fight on your hands.
2. Actually; in reality. I was promoted to a managerial role in the restaurant, but in substance, I'm just a shift supervisor. I know you two broke up in substance, but I don't think he ever stopped loving you. Hey, in substance, that was my idea, and he totally took credit for it!
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
in substance
1. In reality, essentially, as in The Archbishop of Salzburg was in substance a temporal authority as well. [Late 1300s]
2. In essence, basically, as in I don't remember all the details, but in substance this was the plan. [Late 1400s]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.