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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of suboptimal
Even from my extremely suboptimal vantage point in the very front corner of the theater, I was awed by the depth and crispness of the 3D imagery.
—
Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 7 May 2026
The Mets are continuing to forge ahead with the team built by Stearns and managed by Mendoza, despite suboptimal results.
—Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 28 Apr. 2026
On this mission, NASA flew the Orion capsule with a suboptimal heat shield.
—Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 16 Apr. 2026
Avoid costly financial moves Planning ahead for financial setbacks reduces the likelihood that you’ll be forced into making a suboptimal decision.
—Jason Stauffer, CNBC, 13 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for suboptimal
Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 7 May 2026
The Mets are continuing to forge ahead with the team built by Stearns and managed by Mendoza, despite suboptimal results.
—Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 28 Apr. 2026
On this mission, NASA flew the Orion capsule with a suboptimal heat shield.
—Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 16 Apr. 2026
Avoid costly financial moves Planning ahead for financial setbacks reduces the likelihood that you’ll be forced into making a suboptimal decision.
—Jason Stauffer, CNBC, 13 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for suboptimal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for suboptimal
Adjective
-
Warsh called that unacceptable and kept saying so.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
17 June 2026
-
This proposal is utterly unacceptable.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
17 June 2026
Adjective
-
Rebecca Lowe joins Dan Patrick to discuss some of the top storylines around the World Cup, including Cristiano Ronaldo's poor play to start, the United States' potential and more.—
Monica Alba,
NBC news,
24 June 2026
-
Will the gap between rural and urban America – and the gap between rich and poor America – decline or grow?—
Arthur Cosby,
Fortune,
23 June 2026
Adjective
-
Tom Kim dropped two shots at the wrong time and shot 72.—
Doug Ferguson,
Los Angeles Times,
21 June 2026
-
Every traveler has a trip that went spectacularly wrong.—
Josh Rivera,
USA Today,
21 June 2026
Adjective
-
In November 2008 an errant air strike, conducted under auspices of a lame-duck Bush administration, killed 37 civilians who were at a wedding party in Wech Baghtu, Afghanistan.—
Ta-Nehisi Coates,
Vanity Fair,
15 June 2026
-
At supper the guides exchanged significant glances across the fire and acted like a couple of guys who have picked a lame horse.—
Fred Bear,
Outdoor Life,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
Are those still your worst fears?—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
21 June 2026
-
While a higher tracker error is not bad in and of itself, most investors become uncomfortable when their portfolio acts so differently from the index.—
Bill Stone,
Forbes.com,
21 June 2026
Adjective
-
About 220,000 need major repair or replacement, and 41,677 are rated poor, also called structurally deficient.—
Alex Krasnok,
Fortune,
21 June 2026
-
About 220,000 need major repair or replacement, and 41,677 are rated poor, also called structurally deficient.—
Alex Krasnok,
The Conversation,
19 June 2026
Adjective
-
When an audience member posed a hypothetical choice between a flawed but distinctive film and a polished but unremarkable one, Leung said either would do, arguing that cinema’s goal was sincerity, in performance or in a director’s expression, rather than polish.—
Jenny S. Li,
Variety,
20 June 2026
-
By the time the tournament reached Argentina four years later, though, the Dutch were not quite the slick — if defensively-flawed — outfit that played in 1974.—
Will Jeanes,
New York Times,
20 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Suboptimal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suboptimal. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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