ˌsəb-ˈäp-tə-məl
as in unacceptable
falling short of a standard
yes, living on junk food generally means that you have a suboptimal diet
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of suboptimal
Inevitably, that leads to suboptimal solutions with less efficiency and scalability.
—
Natan Linder, Forbes, 4 Mar. 2025
The current outbreaks in Texas indicate the suboptimal vaccine coverage.
—Ross Rosenfeld, Newsweek, 26 Feb. 2025
And the ubiquity of streaming services brought the whole chain together, one suboptimal link after another, landing us in a pre-Stokowski era of audio quality grafted onto a barely fathomable utopia of access: all music, everywhere, in mediocre form.
—Michael Owen, The Atlantic, 5 Feb. 2025
Some residents have reported pressure to sell their property for suboptimal prices following rumors that the county would use eminent domain to seize their residences.
—Robert A. Kopack, The Conversation, 17 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for suboptimal
Natan Linder, Forbes, 4 Mar. 2025
The current outbreaks in Texas indicate the suboptimal vaccine coverage.
—Ross Rosenfeld, Newsweek, 26 Feb. 2025
And the ubiquity of streaming services brought the whole chain together, one suboptimal link after another, landing us in a pre-Stokowski era of audio quality grafted onto a barely fathomable utopia of access: all music, everywhere, in mediocre form.
—Michael Owen, The Atlantic, 5 Feb. 2025
Some residents have reported pressure to sell their property for suboptimal prices following rumors that the county would use eminent domain to seize their residences.
—Robert A. Kopack, The Conversation, 17 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for suboptimal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for suboptimal
Adjective
-
Restaurants rated unacceptable must close to fix their issues and require reinspection prior to reopening.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
26 Mar. 2025
-
Plagiarism Policies Plagiarism is unacceptable in academic circles.—
Rowan Briggs,
Mercury News,
24 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
This can manifest in poor financial behaviors like excessive credit card debt, minimal savings, or impulsive investment decisions.—
Shane Enete,
Forbes,
24 Mar. 2025
-
Sharon is the first member of the coven to die after the first of the five trials; meanwhile, the rest of the coven fends off further danger, faces new challenges, and even adds a new member to their ranks, replacing poor Sharon almost immediately.—
Shania Russell,
EW.com,
23 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
In the case of the Ruscha photographs, computer vision was simply wrong.—
Sonja Drimmer,
Artforum,
1 Apr. 2025
-
It’s been more than two years since a fiery derailment in rural Ohio made Norfolk Southern and the village of East Palestine household names for all the wrong reasons.—
Atlanta Journal-Constitution,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
As holidays go, however, Flag Day can feel a bit lame.—
Kevin Fisher-Paulson,
San Francisco Chronicle,
8 June 2021
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My 11-year-old loved watching the pups roll balls and play a giant floor piano, but for non-dog owners (guilty as charged), parts of the series—like dressing dogs in little hats and outfits for a Parisian fashion show—feel lame.—
Tim Neville,
Outside Online,
23 Nov. 2020
Adjective
-
The most common reason a cruise ship skips a port is bad weather.—
David Nikel,
Forbes,
23 Mar. 2025
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Netflix has now officially been in operation for over a quarter of a century and in that time have largely upended the traditional business models around film and television, for better and worse.—
Harrison Richlin,
IndieWire,
23 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Kraken was also accused of having deficient internal controls and record keeping.—
Jonathan Stempel,
USA TODAY,
3 Mar. 2025
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Those studies show that supplementing with vitamin A in people who are deficient can lead to milder infections with diseases like measles.—
Alice Park,
TIME,
3 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Others, such as closing beaches, parks and playgrounds, were well intentioned but flawed.—
Orlando Sentinel and Virginian Pilot Editorial Boards,
The Orlando Sentinel,
26 Mar. 2025
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Congress needs to stanch the bleeding — and give serious thought to overhauling this flawed system for the longer term.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
26 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Suboptimal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suboptimal. Accessed 5 Apr. 2025.
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