suboptimal

adjective

sub·​op·​ti·​mal

ˌsəb-ˈäp-tə-məl

 

variants or sub-optimal

: less than optimal : not at the best possible level

suboptimal performance

suboptimal conditions/results/solutions

received suboptimal care

… such is life at the sharp end of evolution, where the pursuit of self-interest frequently leads to suboptimal outcomes for all concerned.

—The Economist

Training at sub-optimal levels fatigues you and wastes time you could have spent at the high levels you hope to achieve.

—Rick Crawford

suboptimally adverb

or sub-optimally

… countless companies perform suboptimally. They fail to capitalize on a unique competitive advantage.

—Erik Matson

Synonyms

• bad
• bastard
• bush
• bush-league
• crummy
• crumby
• deficient
• dissatisfactory
• ill
• inferior
• lame
• lousy
• off
• paltry
• poor
• punk
• sour
• subpar
• substandard
• unacceptable
• unsatisfactory
• wack [slang]
• wanting
• wretched
• wrong

Examples of suboptimal in a Sentence

yes, living on junk food generally means that you have a suboptimal diet

Recent Examples on the Web

Loss aversion is a powerful psychological bias that can lead us to make suboptimal decisions by prioritizing the avoidance of losses over the pursuit of gains. —Bryce Hoffman, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024

The Warriors are using the start of the season — and the suboptimal circumstances — to find lineup combinations that work. —Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 29 Oct. 2024

With the emergence of Waymo, at last, this suboptimal rubric has overstayed its welcome. —Jim Cramer, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2024

The opportunities are more significant now, as are the potential consequences of a suboptimal decision, because prices of many stocks increased significantly in recent years. —Bob Carlson, Forbes, 26 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1901, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

suboptimal

adjective

sub·​op·​ti·​mal ˌsəb-ˈäp-tə-məl 

: less than optimal

a suboptimal diet

a suboptimal dose of a drug