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
The state defines substandard buildings as those where repair costs to bring a site up to building codes would exceed 15% of the cost of a full structure replacement, not counting energy improvements.
—
Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 1 Feb. 2026
So will Dahmen, the fan favorite playing on conditional status this year after a substandard 2025.
—Hugh Kellenberger, New York Times, 1 Feb. 2026
The substandard refereeing is a disgrace for the number one professional sport in America.
—Steve Forbes, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026
His speed on deep patterns — one of his greatest strengths — has been neutralized to a large extent because of substandard quarterback play and Tagovailoa’s lack of arm strength.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 21 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for substandard
Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 1 Feb. 2026
So will Dahmen, the fan favorite playing on conditional status this year after a substandard 2025.
—Hugh Kellenberger, New York Times, 1 Feb. 2026
The substandard refereeing is a disgrace for the number one professional sport in America.
—Steve Forbes, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026
His speed on deep patterns — one of his greatest strengths — has been neutralized to a large extent because of substandard quarterback play and Tagovailoa’s lack of arm strength.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 21 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for substandard
Recent Examples of Synonyms for substandard
Adjective
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The behavior's unacceptable, and so this is our way to try to end it or stop it, at least here in Manteca.—
Charlie Lapastora,
CBS News,
18 Feb. 2026
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That is completely unacceptable.—
Howard Blume,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Policymakers globally are increasingly worried that the unequal adoption of AI risks widening income and development gaps between rich and poor countries.—
Hanna Ziady,
CNN Money,
18 Feb. 2026
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In November, Jesse Jackon was hospitalized again after suffering a fall while protesting poor campus living conditions with students at Howard University.—
Mary Kekatos,
ABC News,
17 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The pursuit ended after Nipp turned off his headlights and drove into the wrong lane in an attempt to lose the officers.—
Josh Kelly,
Oklahoman,
21 Feb. 2026
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What’s wrong with being uncomfortable and plowing through demanding texts that challenge us to think about bygone times, far-off places and painful emotions, poignantly expressed?—
Patricia Steckler,
Baltimore Sun,
21 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Saying the house is like a character too sounds a bit lame.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2026
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That huge war chest would be especially remarkable amassed by a lame-duck president.—
Susan Page,
USA Today,
16 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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As a result the Red Sox head into 2026 with legitimate playoff aspirations, but also with one of the most power-deficient lineups in baseball.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
15 Feb. 2026
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Pretermissions can take place if a case is incomplete or legally deficient.—
Ximena Bustillo,
NPR,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Investigators are buried in leads The influx of tips generated in the case – further fueled by the release this week of footage captured by Guthrie’s doorbell camera – is both good and bad for law enforcement.—
Elizabeth Hartfield,
CNN Money,
16 Feb. 2026
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But the lack of bigger tax cuts does not inherently make the grocery tax repeal bad.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
16 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The complaint alleges NeuralHash is a far inferior tool to PhotoDNA.—
Ramishah Maruf,
CNN Money,
19 Feb. 2026
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How about make a product that costs so much that these customers feel compelled make their own inferior chip or join forces with second-place player AMD.—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
15 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Isaacman stated that while Boeing manufactured the troubled spacecraft, the ultimate responsibility lies with NASA for accepting a flawed vehicle and risking the lives of two astronauts.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
20 Feb. 2026
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The past two months have featured several high-profile data points that show the way college athletes earn money is flawed.—
Matt Baker,
New York Times,
19 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Substandard.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/substandard. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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