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 But Reddick shouldn’t yet be counted out because his recent downturn is more due to rotten luck than substandard performance. — Jess Bryant, New York Times, 4 July 2026 Structures are frequently built with substandard materials and safety regulations are sometimes ignored to reduce costs. — ABC News, 1 July 2026 With fewer inspections required for skydiving planes than most commercial aviation, Robb argues the temptation is great for operators to use substandard equipment or make shoddy repairs. — Alexandra Skores, CNN Money, 15 June 2026 Detainees held at the facility didn’t receive comprehensive health assessments, which meant that those with chronic conditions received substandard care, the report said. — Michael Biesecker, Fortune, 9 June 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
  • Still, only 28% of readers said that AI use is unacceptable in all of the circumstances presented by the survey.
    — Cameron Pugh, Christian Science Monitor, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Intervene Intervene means several signals—or one sufficiently consequential event—indicate probable deterioration or unacceptable outcomes.
    — Gerald J. Leonard, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of unacceptable
Adjective
  • But tensions have opened up between data center boosters and some community organizations that want to see more jobs and economic benefits go to local residents, especially predominantly poor Hispanic farm and food processing workers.
    — Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Conventional wisdom usually attributes those failures to changing markets, disruptive competitors, or poor leadership.
    — Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of poor
Adjective
  • The agent that flagged a bad clause in June stops flagging it in July, and nobody did anything wrong, and nothing broke.
    — Jason Snyder, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Using the wrong type of cleaning product for your tub’s material can result in scratches, discoloration, or chips.
    — Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of wrong
Adjective
  • In that time seven states seceded from the Union, while lame-duck Pres.
    — Tracy Grant, Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 Aug. 2026
  • The jokes are still wildly scattershot and frequently, knowingly lame; the production is still cheap and cheerfully scrappy; the whole ragged enterprise is still reliant on the evident affection and chemistry between its players to hold it together.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of lame
Adjective
  • Everybody is low, so the deficiency becomes normalized—‘normal’ is deficient.
    — Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Despite the copious downpour that led to flooding across many parts of the country in the past few weeks, India still faces the prospect of a deficient monsoon this year.
    — Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of deficient
Adjective
  • Sensing a disconnect or worse, a feeling of being forgotten, Campbell this summer invited some of the men who wrote those letters to campus.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Dry weather periods are expected in Colorado, and wildfires tend to be worse during these times.
    — Callie Zanandrie, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of bad
Adjective
  • Advertisement Settling for hand sanitizer Hand sanitizer isn’t a lazy or inferior choice in every situation.
    — Angela Haupt, Time, 10 Aug. 2026
  • The ornamental characteristics of suckers that develop from roots are inferior to the upper portion of the tree.
    — Molly Burford, Southern Living, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of inferior
Adjective
  • Here agents were built to find software exploits and placed in flawed or deliberately permissive environments.
    — Chris Stokel-Walker, Scientific American, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Every output the system produces from ambiguous or stale inputs becomes a decision someone makes in good faith on a flawed premise.
    — Leon Gordon, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 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 15 Aug. 2026.

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