substandard

adjective

ˌsəb-ˈstan-dərd How to pronounce substandard (audio)
Definition of substandardnext
as in unacceptable
falling short of a standard a teacher who rejects substandard work without hesitation

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 substandard Many were found to be substandard, overpriced or not built at all. — ABC News, 7 Sep. 2026 Detroit has more than enough weapons to bounce back from a 9-8 season that was considered substandard for this era of the team. — Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 2 Sep. 2026 Injuries and substandard play during the 2025 season left Pro Bowl quarterback Justin Herbert in vulnerable positions all too frequently. — Elliott Teaford, Oc Register, 1 Sep. 2026 The Dolphins, resting their talent-needy starting defense, fought with backups that will provide substandard depth this season. — Armando Salguero Outkick, FOXNews.com, 29 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for substandard
Recent Examples of Synonyms for substandard
  1. unacceptable
  2. poor
  3. wrong
  4. lame
  5. deficient
  6. bad
  7. inferior
  8. flawed
Adjective
  • With a team that has a margin of error as small as the Dolphins, these penalties are unacceptable.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Likewise, the underlying crisis of commercially unacceptable risk in the Strait isn’t anywhere close to being resolved.
    — David Faris, Washington Post, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of unacceptable
Adjective
  • Europe is expected to have a particularly poor corn harvest and needs larger imports just as its demand for feed remains high.
    — Jenni Reid, CNBC, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Reese is known as a poor shooter, and is often mocked for missing easy shots in games.
    — Jackson Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of poor
Adjective
  • British police acknowledged applying for the warrants under the wrong statutory provision, the judge said while stipulating that the misconduct investigation against the king's brother could continue.
    — Steve Hendrix, Washington Post, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Doctors in Tennessee and Republican state senators called for the state to pause executions, because the chances of one going catastrophically wrong were so high.
    — Maya Foa, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of wrong
Adjective
  • Blumenthal hopes to see action on KOSA in the lame-duck session.
    — Lisa Hagen, Hartford Courant, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Only to see them, after winning elections, get strong-armed by the party, then offer lame excuses as to why.
    — Colleen Kujawa, Chicago Tribune, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of lame
Adjective
  • To help with hair regrowth, Bauman often recommends nutrient-dense meals rich with protein, healthy fat and the trace minerals that, when deficient, can lead to hair loss.
    — Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Of course, supplementing with vitamin D is especially helpful for those who are deficient.
    — Nicole Catanese, InStyle, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of deficient
Adjective
  • But then came the nightmare of Game 3, one of the Sox’s worst performances in weeks.
    — Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Specifically, people with worse fever tended to have more of a protein called flagellin in their systems than those with little to no fever.
    — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of bad
Adjective
  • After years of looking inferior to its Western brethren, the NBA’s Eastern Conference is enjoying a renaissance, galvanized by a steady influx of talent and the relocation of star players to new teams.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Brandon put up big numbers against inferior opponents, but struggled against Texas and Auburn, and Heupel clearly doesn’t see this as a development year for his team.
    — Seth Emerson, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of inferior
Adjective
  • De Brigard would be the first to tell you that his recollection of that day may be flawed.
    — Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 3 Oct. 2026
  • And there is precedent for such a return because Romo is not the first flawed NFL analyst who faced legal troubles and worked again.
    — Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of flawed

Browse Nearby Words

substances
substandard
substantial
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Cite this Entry

“Substandard.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/substandard. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

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