leave much to be desired
idiom
variants
or leave a lot to be desired
or leave a great deal to be desired
—used to say that something is not very good at all or is not close to being good enough
Your work leaves much to be desired.
Although her education left a great deal to be desired, she was an extremely intelligent person.
The working conditions here leave a lot to be desired.
Examples of leave much to be desired in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In This Article Our Top Picks Reviews The Bottom Line
Our Testing Process
More To Consider
Tips for Choosing
Questions and Answers
Why Trust Southern Living
Cleaning tile floors using a bucket, mop, and elbow grease may be character-building, but the results often leave much to be desired.
—
Maria Conti, Southern Living, 30 Jan. 2025
In reality, neither experience is inherently easier or better; rather, they’re both shaped by societal structures that leave much to be desired for everyone.
—Mark Travers, Forbes, 8 Dec. 2024
Moreover, though on some levels realistic, Pip’s sleuthing skills leave much to be desired.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 1 Aug. 2024
And the career opportunities for working moms leave much to be desired.
—Melissa Willets, Parents, 6 May 2024
The melodies don’t linger and the lyrics leave much to be desired.
—Shania Russell, EW.com, 21 Mar. 2024
But berry season only comes once a year, and the out-of-season offerings leave much to be desired taste-wise.
—Audrey Bruno, SELF, 21 Feb. 2024
While the advent of third-wave coffee shops that focus on small-batch artisan brews and perfect pour-overs has been a boon for the gastronomic scene and morning sluggishness/afternoon slumps, the minimalist décor and tranquil vibes that come with them can, at times, leave much to be desired.
—Richard Guzman, Orange County Register, 16 Jan. 2024
His foreign-policy views leave much to be desired, but his economic-policy views are commendable.
—Dominic Pino, National Review, 20 Jan. 2024
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.
Maria Conti, Southern Living, 30 Jan. 2025
In reality, neither experience is inherently easier or better; rather, they’re both shaped by societal structures that leave much to be desired for everyone.
—Mark Travers, Forbes, 8 Dec. 2024
Moreover, though on some levels realistic, Pip’s sleuthing skills leave much to be desired.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 1 Aug. 2024
And the career opportunities for working moms leave much to be desired.
—Melissa Willets, Parents, 6 May 2024
The melodies don’t linger and the lyrics leave much to be desired.
—Shania Russell, EW.com, 21 Mar. 2024
But berry season only comes once a year, and the out-of-season offerings leave much to be desired taste-wise.
—Audrey Bruno, SELF, 21 Feb. 2024
While the advent of third-wave coffee shops that focus on small-batch artisan brews and perfect pour-overs has been a boon for the gastronomic scene and morning sluggishness/afternoon slumps, the minimalist décor and tranquil vibes that come with them can, at times, leave much to be desired.
—Richard Guzman, Orange County Register, 16 Jan. 2024
His foreign-policy views leave much to be desired, but his economic-policy views are commendable.
—Dominic Pino, National Review, 20 Jan. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Leave much to be desired.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/leave%20much%20to%20be%20desired. Accessed 21 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share