Meaty describes something substantial and full of important content, like a thick book packed with fascinating ideas or a conversation that tackles big, meaningful questions. When a teacher assigns a meaty chapter to read, it's one that requires real thought and attention, not something you can skim in five minutes. A meaty research project gives you plenty of material to work with and explore.

A meaty stew is thick and filling, while a meaty bone gives a dog something substantial to chew on.

When someone calls a topic meaty, they mean it has depth worth digging into. A meaty role in a school play gives an actor lots of interesting scenes and emotions to work with, not just two lines and an exit. Scientists might describe a meaty problem as one that's challenging and complex but rewarding to solve. The opposite would be something thin or superficial: something that looks impressive at first but doesn't give you much to think about when you dig deeper.