as in unacceptable
falling short of a standard
a teacher who rejects substandard work without hesitation
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of substandard
Both Noem and President Trump’s Border czar, Tom Homan, have pinned the blame for immigration enforcement raids being revealed ahead of time and the substandard U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) numbers of arrests on internal leakers.
—
Filip Timotija, The Hill, 8 Mar. 2025
Haliburton does have an All-NBA case, though his substandard 15-or-so games in October through early December hurt it.
—Tony East, Forbes.com, 6 Apr. 2025
Knox and Kincaid were supposed to be a dangerous tandem — maybe the NFL’s most dangerous — in 2024, but Buffalo’s tight ends were substandard.
—Tim Graham, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2025
The problems of poverty — food insecurity, substandard housing, evictions, addiction, unemployment, exposure to violence — impact how kids learn.
—Adam Schwartz, Baltimore Sun, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for substandard
Filip Timotija, The Hill, 8 Mar. 2025
Haliburton does have an All-NBA case, though his substandard 15-or-so games in October through early December hurt it.
—Tony East, Forbes.com, 6 Apr. 2025
Knox and Kincaid were supposed to be a dangerous tandem — maybe the NFL’s most dangerous — in 2024, but Buffalo’s tight ends were substandard.
—Tim Graham, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2025
The problems of poverty — food insecurity, substandard housing, evictions, addiction, unemployment, exposure to violence — impact how kids learn.
—Adam Schwartz, Baltimore Sun, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for substandard
Recent Examples of Synonyms for substandard
Adjective
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Cutting them to fund tax breaks for the wealthy is unacceptable.—
Tom Rogers,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Apr. 2025
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Change fatigue can cause corporate leadership to become more willing to accept the unwelcome, and to normalize the unacceptable.—
Michael Peregrine,
Forbes.com,
29 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Consumer spending softened, increasing 1.8%, down from a 4% rise in the fourth quarter, but a decent performance in light of stock market turmoil and poor weather early in the quarter.—
Paul Davidson,
USA Today,
1 May 2025
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In addition, preliminary research from the National Bureau of Economic Research estimates that poor mental health may cost the U.S. economy nearly $300 billion annually.—
Dilan Gomih,
Forbes.com,
30 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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As holidays go, however, Flag Day can feel a bit lame.—
Kevin Fisher-Paulson,
San Francisco Chronicle,
8 June 2021
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My 11-year-old loved watching the pups roll balls and play a giant floor piano, but for non-dog owners (guilty as charged), parts of the series—like dressing dogs in little hats and outfits for a Parisian fashion show—feel lame.—
Tim Neville,
Outside Online,
23 Nov. 2020
Adjective
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Some would argue that picking a celebrity is the wrong way forward.—
Footwear News,
Footwear News,
5 May 2025
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In the 20th century, however, things started to go wrong.—
Julia Buckley,
CNN Money,
4 May 2025
Adjective
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Those who are deficient in magnesium are more likely to have anemia.—
Jessica Swirble,
Verywell Health,
8 May 2025
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However, the team continues through the postseason, things could be tougher as other teams won't be as deficient in the frontcourt as the Lakers.—
Matt Levine,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 May 2025
Adjective
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President Donald Trump intends to completely reimagine U.S. trade relations with our closest partners and fiercest rivals, for better or worse.—
Charles Singh,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2025
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Using one that’s old and worn out will be inefficient at best and give you a rash or razor burn at worst.—
Megan Gustashaw,
Glamour,
29 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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No matter how sophisticated the technology is, if the input is flawed, the insight will be too.—
Eric Mosley,
Forbes.com,
30 Apr. 2025
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But that same process is highly flawed and produces some troubled players.—
Jim Reineking,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Substandard.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/substandard. Accessed 13 May. 2025.
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