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
Examples of substandard in a Sentence
a teacher who rejects substandard work without hesitation
Recent Examples on the Web
It was launched in the 1970s by the federal government as an alternative to public housing projects, which were criticized for segregating poor families in neighborhoods with low-quality schools and other substandard services.
—
Andrew Khouri, Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2025
However, human clinical studies testing specific therapies targeting inflammation and their impact on metabolic disease have had promising but substandard results.
—Danielle Weiss, Verywell Health, 19 Mar. 2025
What was once one of the league’s most efficient rushing attacks nosedived this past season, largely due to substandard guard play.
—Dan Pompei, The Athletic, 14 Feb. 2025
In countries such as Suriname, Guyana, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, the Bahamas, and other countries, the CCP has dug its financial claws into these economies, funneling billions of dollars into substandard infrastructure projects.
—Tom Rogers, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for substandard
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Andrew Khouri, Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2025
However, human clinical studies testing specific therapies targeting inflammation and their impact on metabolic disease have had promising but substandard results.
—Danielle Weiss, Verywell Health, 19 Mar. 2025
What was once one of the league’s most efficient rushing attacks nosedived this past season, largely due to substandard guard play.
—Dan Pompei, The Athletic, 14 Feb. 2025
In countries such as Suriname, Guyana, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, the Bahamas, and other countries, the CCP has dug its financial claws into these economies, funneling billions of dollars into substandard infrastructure projects.
—Tom Rogers, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for substandard
Cite this Entry
“Substandard.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/substandard. Accessed 21 May. 2025.
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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