unsatisfactory

adjective

un·​sat·​is·​fac·​to·​ry ˌən-ˌsa-təs-ˈfak-t(ə-)rē How to pronounce unsatisfactory (audio)
: not satisfactory
unsatisfactorily adverb
unsatisfactoriness noun

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Sainz and Williams initiating a right of review protest four days later revived my feeling that his penalty was an unsatisfactory outcome, regardless of the rules. Alex Kalinauckas, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025 Harris has since demanded information about the investment, but alleges that the responses have been limited and unsatisfactory. Gene Maddaus, Variety, 15 Sep. 2025 Additionally, men were 12 percent more likely to stop treatment within a year than women, which the researchers say could reflect unsatisfactory weight loss, with better outcomes generally observed in women taking GLP-1RAs. Hannah Millington, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Sep. 2025 Even then, the results are often unsatisfactory for your (once) vibrant white shirts. Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 3 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for unsatisfactory

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1650, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unsatisfactory was circa 1650

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Cite this Entry

“Unsatisfactory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unsatisfactory. Accessed 29 Sep. 2025.

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