Definition of unsatisfactorynext
as in unacceptable
falling short of a standard an unsatisfactory first attempt at building a birdhouse

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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 unsatisfactory While some users report strong performance on Trustpilot, others cite installation delays, outages or unsatisfactory support. Roxanne Downer, USA Today, 30 Oct. 2025 Venture capital scored the lowest net sentiment, with 33% of respondents reporting unsatisfactory returns. Hayley Cuccinello, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2025 Russell Miller, a spokesperson for the labor union, referred Bay Area News Group to statements on its website that call Kaiser’s pay offer unsatisfactory because of historic, post-pandemic inflation that drove up living costs for workers. Grant Stringer, Mercury News, 14 Oct. 2025 Sainz and Williams initiating a right of review protest four days later revived my feeling that his penalty was an unsatisfactory outcome, regardless of the rules. Alex Kalinauckas, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for unsatisfactory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unsatisfactory
Adjective
  • Antisemitism has no place in our city, and violence or intimidation against Jewish New Yorkers is unacceptable.
    Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 29 Jan. 2026
  • These actions, coupled with her own words, reveal an unacceptable disdain for our constitutional system of checks and balances.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • Evening people were 79% more likely to have poor overall heart health compared with those in the intermediate group, the study found.
    Dr. Joseph Wendt, ABC News, 28 Jan. 2026
  • Audits have identified poor planning, weak oversight, and insufficient monitoring of quality and cost.
    Walter Pavlo, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • Mia’s giant bow dress is fabulous, but her hair is all wrong.
    Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 31 Jan. 2026
  • Which is why the reaction to Clemson coach Dabo Swinney blowing the whistle on Ole Miss coach Pete Golding for alleged tampering feels so wrong.
    Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 31 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • Gavin Newsom is officially a lame-duck governor, and his final year in office seems increasingly focused on an almost certain campaign for the White House.
    Dan Walters, Mercury News, 28 Jan. 2026
  • Gavin Newsom is officially a lame-duck governor, and his final year in office seems increasingly focused on an almost certain campaign for the White House.
    Dan Walters, Oc Register, 27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • Azzi Fudd scored 27 points and Sarah Strong added 26 to help UConn beat Tennessee, handing the Lady Vols their worst loss in the storied rivalry.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 2 Feb. 2026
  • To that end, here’s a selection of the best (and most enjoyably bad) literary film and TV coming to streaming services this month.
    Emily Temple, Literary Hub, 2 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • The city’s Planning Commission approved the project in October despite objections from nearby residents, who appealed the decision to the City Council saying the environmental report was deficient and the subdivision was incompatible with surrounding land uses.
    Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Jan. 2026
  • People who have had gastric bypass surgery can also become deficient in vitamin D, says Bouwmeester.
    Stacey Colino, Time, 30 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Unsatisfactory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unsatisfactory. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.

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