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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 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 Young detainees have described inedible food, substandard medical care and callous treatment at the hands of guards and staff at immigration facilities. — Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 19 Aug. 2026 Trump paid them substandard wages, and their working conditions were appalling. — Kai Bird, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026 Cyclospora is most common in tropical climates and areas with substandard sanitation. — Nicholas Florko, The Atlantic, 11 July 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
  • Laying an egg against the Raiders in Year 3 of the Harbaugh era is unacceptable.
    — Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Kip Dellinger Santa Monica The type of play by the Chargers on Sunday was completely unacceptable, lackluster and disappointing for a team with Super Bowl aspirations.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of unacceptable
Adjective
  • Renovation will only yield temporary improvement unless the original cause of a poor-quality lawn is remedied.
    — Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 19 Sep. 2026
  • The consequences of a poor performance in the takeaway department sets a very high standard for rookies, something that can only bode well for the future.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of poor
Adjective
  • Pagan remains wrong, sophisticated argumentation notwithstanding.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 25 Sep. 2026
  • The tech leaders warned about the risk of humans losing control of AI systems and of the systems getting into the wrong hands.
    — Jack Moore, ABC News, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of wrong
Adjective
  • As Trump slides toward lame-duck status, cleavages within the group and between it and traditional progressives are becoming more salient.
    — David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 18 Sep. 2026
  • The next big issue for me was that Axl shimmied from side to side with an unusual snakelike move that struck me as effeminate and lame.
    — Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of lame
Adjective
  • High base, cuts to public capex for meeting fiscal deficit targets and the impact of deficient rains on sowing patterns are some of the key reasons the brokerage expects India’s growth to slow over the next few quarters.
    — Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 14 Sep. 2026
  • There is nonexistent depth, disastrous allocation of resources and a roster so deficient that the general manager who constructed it has already been dismissed.
    — Chandler Rome, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2026
Definition of deficient
Adjective
  • This problem will only get worse, with new cancer cases projected to increase 67% by 2050.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 25 Sep. 2026
  • In a world where true-crime shows of both the fictional and nonfictional variety run rampant on our screens, that’s probably not a bad corporate strategy.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of bad
Adjective
  • The same can be said for TCU’s offense as well after the past two games against inferior opponents.
    — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Beating the Titans on the road in Week 1 proved the Jets can take care of business against an inferior opponent.
    — Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of inferior
Adjective
  • What is left is the bond of a group of women who survived this beautifully flawed universe together, who leave behind twenty-plus years of laughter, chaos, and guilty pleasures for millions of people.
    — Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 21 Sep. 2026
  • The defense told jurors prosecutors are relying on the salacious affair to prove its case, arguing the decision to charge the former worship leader stemmed from a flawed investigation, rush to judgment and lack of direct evidence.
    — Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 19 Sep. 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 26 Sep. 2026.

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