variants
or less commonly sub-par
chiefly US
: below par: such as
a
: below a usual or normal level or standard
subpar attendance
a subpar performance
Why would a major football school fire a successful coach following a single subpar season?—
Jerry Kirshenbaum
Jerry KirshenbaumBecause of phylloxera, vineyards have been inconsistent and yielding subpar grapes.—James Laube
James Laube
b
golf
: having a score lower than par
His 19 birdies and two eagles gave him more subpar holes than anyone …—David Barrett
David Barrett… Augusta National never played easier. … Saturday's 30 subpar rounds broke a third-round tournament record …—John Garrity
John Garrity
Did you know?
Since sub- means "below", almost anything that fails to measure up to a traditional standard may be called subpar. So you may hear of subpar ratings for a TV show, subpar care at a nursing home, subpar attendance at a concert, or subpar work by a contractor. If you played a subpar round of golf, though, you needed more strokes than you should have.
Examples of subpar in a Sentence
the service at the restaurant was subpar, to say the least
Recent Examples on the Web
However, the flimsy handle and the subpar squeegee blade give me strong reservations.
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 May 2025
Sure, everyone wants to be an early selection, but more often than not, that leads to landing on a subpar team.
—Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 15 May 2025
Former New York Yankees outfielder Alex Verdugo had a subpar year last season, with a .233 batting average and .647 OPS while striking out 93 times in 621 plate appearances.
—Jon Vankin, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 May 2025
Siakam can get the Pacers going on some nights when their offense is subpar.
—Tony East, Forbes.com, 31 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for subpar
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 May 2025
Sure, everyone wants to be an early selection, but more often than not, that leads to landing on a subpar team.
—Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 15 May 2025
Former New York Yankees outfielder Alex Verdugo had a subpar year last season, with a .233 batting average and .647 OPS while striking out 93 times in 621 plate appearances.
—Jon Vankin, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 May 2025
Siakam can get the Pacers going on some nights when their offense is subpar.
—Tony East, Forbes.com, 31 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for subpar
Cite this Entry
“Subpar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/subpar. Accessed 15 Jun. 2025.
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