substandard
adjective
sub·stan·dard
ˌsəb-ˈstan-dərd 
: deviating from or falling short of a standard or norm: such as
a
: of a quality lower than that prescribed by law
substandard housing
b
: conforming to a pattern of linguistic usage existing within a speech community but not that of the prestige group in that community
c
: constituting a greater than normal risk to an insurer
Synonyms
Examples of substandard in a Sentence
a teacher who rejects substandard work without hesitation
Recent Examples on the Web
Because that would take several years, the board ultimately agreed a new site is a priority for now to maintain its services and ensure employees there aren’t working in substandard conditions.
—
Claudia Levens, Journal Sentinel, 5 June 2024
About 10% of them specifically cited substandard homeschooling claims.
—Molly Parker, ProPublica, 5 June 2024
The city has entered an agreement with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to jointly take over operations of the Indianapolis Housing Agency after years of financial mismanagement and complaints of substandard living conditions.
—John Tuohy, The Indianapolis Star, 11 Apr. 2024
Already, the government’s relief efforts have come under scrutiny, as have the neglect and corruption that allowed many substandard buildings to be constructed in recent decades.
—Soner Cagaptay, Foreign Affairs, 1 Mar. 2023
See all Example Sentences for substandard 
Claudia Levens, Journal Sentinel, 5 June 2024
About 10% of them specifically cited substandard homeschooling claims.
—Molly Parker, ProPublica, 5 June 2024
The city has entered an agreement with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to jointly take over operations of the Indianapolis Housing Agency after years of financial mismanagement and complaints of substandard living conditions.
—John Tuohy, The Indianapolis Star, 11 Apr. 2024
Already, the government’s relief efforts have come under scrutiny, as have the neglect and corruption that allowed many substandard buildings to be constructed in recent decades.
—Soner Cagaptay, Foreign Affairs, 1 Mar. 2023
See all Example Sentences for substandard
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'substandard.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near substandard
Cite this Entry
“Substandard.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/substandard. Accessed 17 Jun. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
substandard
adjective
sub·stan·dard
ˌsəb-ˈstan-dərd
ˈsəb-
1
: varying from or falling short of a standard or norm
substandard housing
2
: following a pattern of linguistic usage that is not considered standard
substandard English
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