variants
or less commonly sub-par
chiefly US
: below par: such as
a
: below a usual or normal level or standard
subpar attendance
a subpar performance
Why would a major football school fire a successful coach following a single subpar season?—
Jerry Kirshenbaum
Jerry KirshenbaumBecause of phylloxera, vineyards have been inconsistent and yielding subpar grapes.—James Laube
James Laube
b
golf
: having a score lower than par
His 19 birdies and two eagles gave him more subpar holes than anyone …—David Barrett
David Barrett… Augusta National never played easier. … Saturday's 30 subpar rounds broke a third-round tournament record …—John Garrity
John Garrity
Did you know?
Since sub- means "below", almost anything that fails to measure up to a traditional standard may be called subpar. So you may hear of subpar ratings for a TV show, subpar care at a nursing home, subpar attendance at a concert, or subpar work by a contractor. If you played a subpar round of golf, though, you needed more strokes than you should have.
Examples of subpar in a Sentence
the service at the restaurant was subpar, to say the least
Recent Examples on the Web
Both are also coming off subpar seasons.
—Evan Grant, Dallas Morning News, 25 Mar. 2026
Subaru enthusiasts may likely look past the vehicle’s main downfall, its subpar range and lack of refinement.
—James Raia, Mercury News, 22 Mar. 2026
Last season, despite subpar quarterback play from Tua Tagovailoa, Waddle caught 64 passes for 910 yards and six touchdowns in 16 games.
—Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 17 Mar. 2026
There have been outbreaks of tuberculosis and measles at the site, and ICE officers have used the dangerously subpar conditions to pressure detainees to sign papers authorizing their deportation.
—Jonathan Blitzer, New Yorker, 15 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for subpar
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Evan Grant, Dallas Morning News, 25 Mar. 2026
Subaru enthusiasts may likely look past the vehicle’s main downfall, its subpar range and lack of refinement.
—James Raia, Mercury News, 22 Mar. 2026
Last season, despite subpar quarterback play from Tua Tagovailoa, Waddle caught 64 passes for 910 yards and six touchdowns in 16 games.
—Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 17 Mar. 2026
There have been outbreaks of tuberculosis and measles at the site, and ICE officers have used the dangerously subpar conditions to pressure detainees to sign papers authorizing their deportation.
—Jonathan Blitzer, New Yorker, 15 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for subpar
Cite this Entry
“Subpar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/subpar. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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