as in unacceptable
falling short of a standard
an unsatisfactory first attempt at building a birdhouse
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unsatisfactory
In their eyes, the global economy is to blame for their unsatisfactory job prospects, feminism is to blame for their failures with women, minority rights are forcing them to relinquish their privilege as straight men, and so on.
—
Miriam Eve Mora, The Conversation, 3 Apr. 2026
But the results were unsatisfactory.
—Chiara Kim, PEOPLE, 1 Apr. 2026
The state had made changes, including cutting off new licenses and provider enrollments in more than a dozen programs at high risk for fraud, but federal officials initially found the changes unsatisfactory.
—Alex Derosier, Twin Cities, 21 Mar. 2026
Hence, utilitarianism is unsatisfactory as a theory of justice, and another theory must be sought.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 20 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unsatisfactory
Miriam Eve Mora, The Conversation, 3 Apr. 2026
But the results were unsatisfactory.
—Chiara Kim, PEOPLE, 1 Apr. 2026
The state had made changes, including cutting off new licenses and provider enrollments in more than a dozen programs at high risk for fraud, but federal officials initially found the changes unsatisfactory.
—Alex Derosier, Twin Cities, 21 Mar. 2026
Hence, utilitarianism is unsatisfactory as a theory of justice, and another theory must be sought.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 20 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unsatisfactory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unsatisfactory
Adjective
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Those parties clinging to the outdated and socially unacceptable business model that relies on selling puppy mill puppies to unsuspecting consumers are no longer welcome in nine states and over 520 localities and some are looking for a new home.—
Annie Hornish,
Hartford Courant,
27 Apr. 2026
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Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri denounced the attack as tragic and unacceptable during a visit to the village on Monday.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Injuries to key players on the Amazin’s contributed to some poor numbers as well.—
Fiifi Frimpong,
New York Daily News,
28 Apr. 2026
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Although poor students are disproportionately likely to receive special education in New York City, well-off disabled kids are the ones most acutely driving up the budget.—
Marc Novicoff,
The Atlantic,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Wallace and her collaborators scrambled to get into the water; the whale was swimming in the wrong direction, toward some docks.—
Jessica Camille Aguirre,
New Yorker,
2 May 2026
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What most people get wrong is conflating the theme of the exhibition with the dress code for the evening.—
José Criales-Unzueta,
Vanity Fair,
2 May 2026
Adjective
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And getting all giddy over some lame light beer that has apple juice poured into to is just plain embarrassing.—
Zach Dean OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
24 Apr. 2026
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This idea that just sitting with your face buried in your phone when you’re supposed to be in a social setting—that’s lame, right?—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Or worse, to turn it into a sort of prison sentence.—
James Wood,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
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Still, from his horns and tattoos to the double-bladed lightsaber, Maul's bad-guy chic was hard to beat.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
3 May 2026
Adjective
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Meanwhile, a prospective cohort study published in March 2026 found that breast cancer patients with sufficient vitamin D had meaningfully better survival and cardiovascular outcomes — and that 38% of women diagnosed with invasive breast cancer were deficient at the time of diagnosis.—
Allison Palmer,
Sacbee.com,
30 Apr. 2026
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Appropriately for a defense-deficient series, the Ducks capitalized on two transition sequences early in the third to take control.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unsatisfactory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unsatisfactory. Accessed 5 May. 2026.
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