subpar

adjective

ˈsəb-ˌpär How to pronounce subpar (audio)
Definition of subparnext
as in unacceptable
falling short of a standard the service at the restaurant was subpar, to say the least

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of subpar The Giants’ subpar starting rotation is one of many reasons why this team won’t make the playoffs this season. — Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 27 July 2026 Drinks and subpar nachos will be shared beneath the musty rafters of the tavern where the surveyors Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon once imbibed. — Rafaela Jinich, The Atlantic, 26 July 2026 Injuries, subpar performances by Rams players and coaches, and outstanding clutch play by opponents — see the 2025 Super Bowl-champion Seattle Seahawks — could derail the Rams’ presumptive date with destiny. — Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2026 James and others at Literacy Roundup believe there are hundreds of students across Tarrant County with undiagnosed dyslexia, which is one of the reasons for subpar reading scores in Fort Worth ISD and other neighboring districts. — Samuel O’Neal 22, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for subpar
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subpar
  1. unacceptable
  2. poor
  3. wrong
  4. lame
  5. bad
  6. deficient
  7. terrible
  8. horrible
Adjective
  • The episode has added to a growing chorus of concern among AI safety advocates, who argue that agents capable of independently identifying and exploiting unknown vulnerabilities across multiple companies’ infrastructure present an unacceptable risk.
    — Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 29 July 2026
  • Conditional approval remains a possibility for firms demonstrating no unacceptable risks.
    — John Koetsier, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
Definition of unacceptable
Adjective
  • Covid-19 wasn’t immediately recognized as a disease with airborne transmission with the potential to spread beyond the 6-foot social distancing measure, especially in places with poor ventilation or around activities with heavy breathing.
    — Deidre McPhillips, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Crepe myrtles may not bloom due to poor pruning, low light, watering issues, weak soil, or pests.
    — Lauren Landers, The Spruce, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of poor
Adjective
  • Seneca, the Roman philosopher, argued that people kept getting the message of Homer’s epic poems wrong.
    — John Blake, CNN Money, 2 Aug. 2026
  • One person was killed and two others were critically injured when a wrong-way driver crashed into several other vehicles on Friday evening on the Dan Ryan Expressway on the South Side of Chicago.
    — Todd Feurer, CBS News, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of wrong
Adjective
  • But instead of playing kingmaker, the lame-duck governor has refused to get behind a candidate to succeed him.
    — Romy Ellenbogen Herald, Miami Herald, 6 July 2026
  • Stronger and more flavorful than in your original lame iteration?
    — Padgett Powell, Harpers Magazine, 30 June 2026
Definition of lame
Adjective
  • The period of military rule has fared worse than previous civilian governments, analysts say, with armed groups increasing their footprint across the country and the Sahel.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 31 July 2026
  • At one point, King and backup center Nick Samac had a bad exchange on a shotgun snap.
    — Mike Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 31 July 2026
Definition of bad
Adjective
  • Alphabet, on the other hand, almost seemed to not care about the change from being cash-flow dominant to cash-flow deficient.
    — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 2 Aug. 2026
  • The bottom line for now is that oysters carry compounds with real biological plausibility for supporting testosterone production, particularly in people who are zinc-deficient.
    — Samantha Agate, Sacbee.com, 29 July 2026
Definition of deficient
Adjective
  • My scheduler needed no prompting to tell me the system was terrible.
    — Roger Dooley, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
  • During that terrible season, 71% of California Dungeness boats stopped fishing and more than 200 jobs were lost.
    — Susanne Rust Follow, Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2026
Definition of terrible
Adjective
  • But the Chinese way will cause a proliferation of talent, usage, data—until something horrible happens.
    — Evan Osnos, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026
  • The Badgers have had horrible injury luck, which has led to bad QB play the past few years.
    — Antonio Morales, New York Times, 27 July 2026
Definition of horrible

Browse Nearby Words

subordination
subpar
subplot
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Subpar.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subpar. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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