as in unacceptable
falling short of a standard
the service at the restaurant was subpar, to say the least
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of subpar
Live boxing and live auto racing deliver palpable electricity with subpar sightlines.
—
Los Angeles Times, 22 Jan. 2026
The week of programming is subpar compared to the tradition and prestige of the annual event, Cooley said, and IUI’s response doesn’t repair the damage of canceling it.
—Heather Bushman, IndyStar, 16 Jan. 2026
His postseason results were subpar.
—Jacob Robinson, New York Times, 14 Jan. 2026
But many products claim to use similar ingredients but with subpar results, so how does Dermend’s Fragile Skin Moisturizing Cream actually perform?
—Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 13 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for subpar
Los Angeles Times, 22 Jan. 2026
The week of programming is subpar compared to the tradition and prestige of the annual event, Cooley said, and IUI’s response doesn’t repair the damage of canceling it.
—Heather Bushman, IndyStar, 16 Jan. 2026
His postseason results were subpar.
—Jacob Robinson, New York Times, 14 Jan. 2026
But many products claim to use similar ingredients but with subpar results, so how does Dermend’s Fragile Skin Moisturizing Cream actually perform?
—Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 13 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for subpar
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subpar
Adjective
-
Antisemitism has no place in our city, and violence or intimidation against Jewish New Yorkers is unacceptable.—
Landon Mion,
FOXNews.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
These actions, coupled with her own words, reveal an unacceptable disdain for our constitutional system of checks and balances.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Evening people were 79% more likely to have poor overall heart health compared with those in the intermediate group, the study found.—
Dr. Joseph Wendt,
ABC News,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Audits have identified poor planning, weak oversight, and insufficient monitoring of quality and cost.—
Walter Pavlo,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Mia’s giant bow dress is fabulous, but her hair is all wrong.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Which is why the reaction to Clemson coach Dabo Swinney blowing the whistle on Ole Miss coach Pete Golding for alleged tampering feels so wrong.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
31 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Gavin Newsom is officially a lame-duck governor, and his final year in office seems increasingly focused on an almost certain campaign for the White House.—
Dan Walters,
Mercury News,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Gavin Newsom is officially a lame-duck governor, and his final year in office seems increasingly focused on an almost certain campaign for the White House.—
Dan Walters,
Oc Register,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Azzi Fudd scored 27 points and Sarah Strong added 26 to help UConn beat Tennessee, handing the Lady Vols their worst loss in the storied rivalry.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
2 Feb. 2026
-
To that end, here’s a selection of the best (and most enjoyably bad) literary film and TV coming to streaming services this month.—
Emily Temple,
Literary Hub,
2 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The city’s Planning Commission approved the project in October despite objections from nearby residents, who appealed the decision to the City Council saying the environmental report was deficient and the subdivision was incompatible with surrounding land uses.—
Phil Diehl,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
31 Jan. 2026
-
People who have had gastric bypass surgery can also become deficient in vitamin D, says Bouwmeester.—
Stacey Colino,
Time,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Huw is also a terrible planner, placing himself in dangerous situations for no discernible reason, refusing to ask for help or call the police at times when calling the police is the most glaringly obvious move, and generally not communicating with anyone.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
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At age 55, Riggle once suffered through decades of heartbreak and terrible Chiefs teams.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The killing and execution of Renee Good and Alex Pretti and the horrible lies perpetuated by this government are abhorrent.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Someone should start talking about improving the state’s horrible inability to attract fellow Americans.—
Jonathan Lansner,
Oc Register,
30 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Subpar.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subpar. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.
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