as in unacceptable
falling short of a standard
a teacher who rejects substandard work without hesitation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of substandard
During the 1980s and '90s, the U.S. government detained thousands of Haitian asylum seekers indefinitely at Guantánamo in substandard conditions.
—
Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 7 Feb. 2025
The qualifications of substandard housing shifted with the passing of Senate Bill 1465 in 2024.
—Emma Hall, Sacramento Bee, 7 Feb. 2025
During the hearing, representatives of the Cemetery and Funeral Bureau and Congregation Kol Shofar in Tiburon testified about the allegedly substandard maintenance of Mount Tamalpais Cemetery.
—Richard Halstead, The Mercury News, 28 Feb. 2025
That investigation, which relied on thousands of pages of court records and dozens of interviews, detailed how Weiner built a high-volume business that billed as much as possible to public and private insurance while many of his patients received unnecessary, dangerous or substandard care.
—Mara Silvers, ProPublica, 26 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for substandard
Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 7 Feb. 2025
The qualifications of substandard housing shifted with the passing of Senate Bill 1465 in 2024.
—Emma Hall, Sacramento Bee, 7 Feb. 2025
During the hearing, representatives of the Cemetery and Funeral Bureau and Congregation Kol Shofar in Tiburon testified about the allegedly substandard maintenance of Mount Tamalpais Cemetery.
—Richard Halstead, The Mercury News, 28 Feb. 2025
That investigation, which relied on thousands of pages of court records and dozens of interviews, detailed how Weiner built a high-volume business that billed as much as possible to public and private insurance while many of his patients received unnecessary, dangerous or substandard care.
—Mara Silvers, ProPublica, 26 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for substandard
Recent Examples of Synonyms for substandard
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
-
Americans heading into the 2026 and 2028 elections with a less secure system than in 2020 or 2024 is an unacceptable and avoidable step backward.—
Kevin Sabet,
Newsweek,
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
-
From the moment the details of the agreement became known, analysts gave the deal a poor prognosis.—
TIME,
TIME,
23 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
As holidays go, however, Flag Day can feel a bit lame.—
Kevin Fisher-Paulson,
San Francisco Chronicle,
8 June 2021
-
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 question of the night is the choice between selling out their souls to the vapid American tourists at the Tropicana nightclub (bad) or singing for their own people on the wrong side of the tracks (good).—
Chris Jones,
New York Daily News,
20 Mar. 2025
-
Bias is a problem because AI learns from past data, and if that data has mistakes or unfair patterns, AI can repeat them, leading to wrong or unfair decisions.—
Dr. Diane Hamilton,
Forbes,
19 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Kraken was also accused of having deficient internal controls and record keeping.—
Jonathan Stempel,
USA TODAY,
3 Mar. 2025
-
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
-
Meanwhile, the Heat has been among the NBA’s worst teams in the league since Butler’s departure.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
23 Mar. 2025
-
While instant coffee had a bad rap, the powdered drink has become popular again with new brands and technology.—
Alexandra Emanuelli,
Southern Living,
23 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
-
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
“Substandard.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/substandard. Accessed 31 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share