suboptimal

adjective

sub·op·ti·mal

ˌsəb-ˈäp-tə-məl

variants or sub-optimal

Synonyms of suboptimal next

: 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

Examples of suboptimal in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples on the Web

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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 See all Example Sentences for suboptimal