Definition of substandardnext
as in unacceptable
falling short of a standard a teacher who rejects substandard work without hesitation

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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 substandard Last year, the county instructed emergency dispatchers and paramedics to stop routing stroke patients to Orange County Global Medical Center in Santa Ana following state findings of substandard care at the financially troubled hospital. Victoria Le, Oc Register, 7 May 2026 For years, athletes and others connected to the Iowa State gymnastics program had raised concerns about the substandard conditions of its practice facility and the overall lack of resources, as USA Today reported in a retrospective last month. Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 27 Apr. 2026 This reality is forcing families and individuals to live in substandard conditions or pushing them out of their communities. Ryan Von Weller, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Apr. 2026 Many were found to be substandard, overpriced or were not built at all. ABC News, 16 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for substandard
Recent Examples of Synonyms for substandard
Adjective
  • Advertisement If something comes back at unacceptable levels, filtering is the next step—and the right filter depends on what's in your water.
    Angela Haupt, Time, 3 June 2026
  • Concern, because the violence and chaos in Hyde Park and elsewhere over the Memorial Day weekend are dangerous and unacceptable.
    Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 2 June 2026
Adjective
  • Common travel regrets stem from preventable issues like poor planning, budget problems, and choosing the wrong companions.
    Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 3 June 2026
  • O’Farrell’s inclination for narratives propelled by brutal coincidence and fatally poor timing tenders a Hardy-esque vision of the world, one that emphasizes the rigid, often cruel limits of an individual’s jurisdiction over the course of their life.
    Rachel Vorona Cote, Vulture, 2 June 2026
Adjective
  • Black and white, right and wrong, cut and dried.
    Erika Ettin, Boston Herald, 31 May 2026
  • The Angels brought a one-run lead into the seventh inning, and then just about everything went wrong in a seven-run inning that sent them to an 8-5 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays.
    Jeff Fletcher, Oc Register, 30 May 2026
Adjective
  • The Browns are clearly in rebuild mode, with 2026 expected to be a lame-duck season at quarterback with Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders vying for the starting job for a season before the team uses the 2027 draft to select its latest quarterback of the future.
    Jim Reineking, USA Today, 2 June 2026
  • Initially blocked by recalcitrant Democratic members of the House, the legislation was reintroduced during a lame-duck session following the 2024 election.
    Andrew Cockburn, Harpers Magazine, 2 June 2026
Adjective
  • That’s what health experts now advise, because statistics reveal the sorry fact that 95% of people are deficient in this essential dietary food.
    Margaux Anbouba, Vogue, 29 May 2026
  • Prices of crude oil, a key resource for energy-deficient Europe, slipped and were on track for their first weekly drop in two months.
    Jay Ganglani, NBC news, 29 May 2026
Adjective
  • But that’s made even worse by the fact that a significant portion of these observational studies did not even have a comparison group.
    Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 1 June 2026
  • The views over the city aren’t bad either.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 June 2026
Adjective
  • Additionally, their overall air defense capabilities have been greatly constrained by their lack of AIM-120 air-to-air missiles, leaving them with inferior, much less reliable, shorter-range missiles.
    Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026
  • Joseph maintained she was retaliated against by the athletic department for complaining about the inferior treatment of her team and the coaching staff.
    Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 27 May 2026
Adjective
  • Like the friendships at its core, The Four Seasons is funny, flawed, and occasionally heartbreaking.
    Dana Feldman, Forbes.com, 30 May 2026
  • The rank-and-file lawmakers don’t have to roll over and accept this badly flawed budget.
    Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 28 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Substandard.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/substandard. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.

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