Learn English – Difference between “materially” and “substantially”

differencemeaning

I am learning the word "materially".

Materially:
3. To a significant extent or degree; substantially. (thefreedictionary) https://www.thefreedictionary.com/materially

What is the difference between "materially" and "substantially"? Since I see "materially" used a lot in legal/accounting contexts, is "materially" more formal than "substantially" ?

Here is my research, but it is in a legal context.

The difference between 'substantially' and 'materially' would need to
be tested in the courts. We could end up with a bit of a process in
the courts, in the making of that determination. Although Senator
Xenophon says that 'materially' is understood to be a lesser threshold
than 'substantially', there would be a legal argument as to whether
that was the case . From
https://www.australiancompetitionlaw.org/legislation/2011ccla.html

Here are a few sentences containing "materially' from The Corpus of Contemporary American English

  1. Red Hat said the transaction should not materially affect results of its second quarter, ending August 31,

  2. but neither moonlight nor the strong twilight of this season will materially affect the observation of these brilliant meteors.

  3. spending money to influence the outcome of referenda unless the issues involved in the referenda materially affected the corporation's
    property, business, or assets.

  4. We said so when Apple did it last year, and nothing has materially changed to alter the facts for HTC.

Best Answer

In a legal context a "material" and "materially" are technical terms that have very specific meanings. A material breach in a contract is one that justifies cancelling the entire contract, not just getting money damages. A material misstatement is one that may be a fraud if it works harm (and is reasonably relied on). Material testimony is relevant to the subject at issue in the case. Most, perhaps all, things which are material in a legal context will also be "substantial" in the ordinary sense of that word. But by calling it "material" one is making a legal conclusion that the thing has certain legal effects, and falls into a particular legal category. Calling it "substantial" does not imply that legal status.

In a non-legal context, "material" and "substantial" (and their adjective forms) are pretty much synonyms. I am having trouble thinking of a case where something is "material" but not "substantial" or the other way around. Both originally implied "physical" and are now fossil metaphors for "physical". Both are opposed to "minor" or "trivial".

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