unsatisfactory

adjective

un·​sat·​is·​fac·​to·​ry ˌən-ˌsa-təs-ˈfak-t(ə-)rē 

: not satisfactory

unsatisfactorily

ˌən-ˌsa-təs-ˈfak-t(ə-)rə-lē 

adverb

unsatisfactoriness

ˌən-ˌsa-təs-ˈfak-t(ə-)rē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

• bad
• bastard
• bush
• bush-league
• crummy
• crumby
• deficient
• dissatisfactory
• ill
• inferior
• lame
• lousy
• off
• paltry
• poor
• punk
• sour
• suboptimal
• subpar
• substandard
• unacceptable
• wack [slang]
• wanting
• wretched
• wrong

Examples of unsatisfactory in a Sentence

He was fired for unsatisfactory performance.

an unsatisfactory first attempt at building a birdhouse

Recent Examples on the Web

McAlister seized on this, asking Healey if this meant Boeing's proposal should really be considered unsatisfactory. —Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 24 Sep. 2024

Three-quarters of the companies surveyed said some or all of their recent graduate hires were unsatisfactory in some way. —Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 26 Sep. 2024

Ivan, a 22-year-old chess genius with a degree in theoretical physics, and his brother Peter, a 32-year-old human rights lawyer, are grieving the death of their father, as well as their own unsatisfactory relationship. —The Week Uk, theweek, 25 Sep. 2024

Without good data, buyers can't access a retailer’s entire inventory when searching for products, leading to unsatisfactory experiences and diminishing sales. —Roland Gossage, Forbes, 25 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1650, in the meaning defined above