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
Supporters say the law expands options for families and spurs school improvement all around — especially in districts with subpar schools.
—
Austin Horn,
Miami Herald,
23 June 2026
Leinweber said that in some cases, police have had to rely on subpar freestanding trail cams or GoPros to capture areas during surveillance or public safety projects.
—
Chuck Fieldman,
Chicago Tribune,
22 June 2026
Sleep deprivation, subpar nutritional habits, chronic unmitigated stress, and poor fitness lead to subpar cognitive and emotional regulation.
—
Julian Hayes Ii,
Forbes.com,
21 June 2026
Those latter two franchises both have a credible claim to the title, but the glut of subpar sequels and spin-offs has diluted their magic.
—
Jacob Stern,
The Atlantic,
17 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for subpar
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Austin Horn,
Miami Herald,
23 June 2026
Leinweber said that in some cases, police have had to rely on subpar freestanding trail cams or GoPros to capture areas during surveillance or public safety projects.
—
Chuck Fieldman,
Chicago Tribune,
22 June 2026
Sleep deprivation, subpar nutritional habits, chronic unmitigated stress, and poor fitness lead to subpar cognitive and emotional regulation.
—
Julian Hayes Ii,
Forbes.com,
21 June 2026
Those latter two franchises both have a credible claim to the title, but the glut of subpar sequels and spin-offs has diluted their magic.
—
Jacob Stern,
The Atlantic,
17 June 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 27 Jun. 2026.
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