ˌsəb-ˈäp-tə-məl
as in unacceptable
falling short of a standard
yes, living on junk food generally means that you have a suboptimal diet
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of suboptimal
McCarthy’s torn meniscus came at a suboptimal time.
—
Alec Lewis, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2025
From a purely economic point of view, this system would be suboptimal and less efficient than the global trading system was.
—Michael B. G. Froman, Foreign Affairs, 11 Aug. 2025
In most of these cases, a much higher heart age is linked to suboptimal blood pressure and cholesterol—factors that can be modified with both lifestyle and medication, Khan added.
—Kristen Fischer, Health, 9 Aug. 2025
Poor data hygiene leads to incorrect conclusions, faulty recommendations and suboptimal decision making.
—Scott Francis, Forbes, 24 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for suboptimal
Alec Lewis, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2025
From a purely economic point of view, this system would be suboptimal and less efficient than the global trading system was.
—Michael B. G. Froman, Foreign Affairs, 11 Aug. 2025
In most of these cases, a much higher heart age is linked to suboptimal blood pressure and cholesterol—factors that can be modified with both lifestyle and medication, Khan added.
—Kristen Fischer, Health, 9 Aug. 2025
Poor data hygiene leads to incorrect conclusions, faulty recommendations and suboptimal decision making.
—Scott Francis, Forbes, 24 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for suboptimal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for suboptimal
Adjective
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Unwavering loyalty Schrandt told ABC News that any deportations to Afghanistan are an unacceptable outcome.—
Chris Boccia,
ABC News,
5 Sep. 2025
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Cosmetics are not the only place that regulators assessed an unacceptable level of risk.—
Keyaira Boone,
Essence,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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But prorating three years of player profits down to 12 months, as UEFA’s rule does, reduces the immediate efficacy of successful trading in the market, the very strategy that poorer clubs increasingly rely on to climb the ladder.—
Chris Weatherspoon,
New York Times,
5 Sep. 2025
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Like most extended car warranty providers, CarShield excludes pre-existing conditions that existed before your warranty took effect, as well as damage resulting from poor maintenance, neglect or intentional abuse.—
Brian Sloan,
CNBC,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Parasite The first non-English language film to win a Best Picture Oscar, Bong Joon-ho's Parasite centers on the Kims, who live on the wrong side of the tracks in Seoul, South Korea.—
Emy LaCroix,
PEOPLE,
8 Sep. 2025
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Joveljic stepped up and placed the penalty kick into his right-hand corner, while goalkeeper Brad Stuver dove the wrong way.—
Daniel Sperry,
Kansas City Star,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Shootouts are lame in comparison.—
Chris Branch,
New York Times,
19 Aug. 2025
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On the other hand, Powell probably has little incentive to commit firmly given high lame-duck status and the fact that more employment and inflation numbers will hit before the September meeting.—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
18 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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This was a classic Smith performance with tons of yardage and some risky throws with both good and bad results.—
Mike Sando,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
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You were called something much worse, and [it was] accepted.—
Brenton Blanchet,
PEOPLE,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Although no publicly available evaluation has classified Stines as mentally deficient, a number of coworkers and friends interviewed by state police said Stines was acting strangely in the days leading up to the shooting of Mullins.—
Andy Rose,
CNN Money,
6 Sep. 2025
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In addition to widening the road from two to four lanes from San Dieguito Road to Via de la Valle, the narrow bridge deemed functionally obsolete and structurally deficient, will be replaced with a new 354-foot-long and 76-foot-wide bridge.—
Karen Billing,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
31 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The problem is a deeply flawed political system that repeatedly incentivizes the wrong choices.—
Les Rubin,
Boston Herald,
7 Sep. 2025
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These are flawed characters struggling at the top of the middle or the bottom of the top; one is on the way down, the other on the way up.—
Jessica Kiang,
Variety,
6 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Suboptimal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suboptimal. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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