as in unacceptable
falling short of a standard a teacher who rejects substandard work without hesitation

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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 Secondary school students in less affluent states will find themselves with substandard educational offerings that may serve as handicaps when those students compete with those who have benefited from enriched educational opportunities provided in wealthier states. Blake D. Morant, Forbes.com, 25 Aug. 2025 There were allegations of billing irregularities and substandard care. Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 22 Aug. 2025 The city classified the house as a substandard vacant building for those and other issues. Theresa Clift, Sacbee.com, 21 Aug. 2025 For more than a dozen years, the Food and Drug Administration quietly allowed substandard foreign factories to continue shipping medications to the United States even after the agency officially banned them from doing so because of dangerous manufacturing failures. Debbie Cenziper, ProPublica, 13 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for substandard
Recent Examples of Synonyms for substandard
Adjective
  • This vile, heartless remark is completely unacceptable—especially from someone entrusted with our children.
    Amy DeLaura, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
  • What constitutes an unacceptable season for the Yankees these days, and how much does Boone bear responsibility when the team doesn't perform up to those standards?
    Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Cutting carbs entirely can raise the risk of cholesterol, kidney stones, poor bone health, gut problems, and even cancer, added Stefanki.
    Caitlin Pagán, Verywell Health, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Before Wednesday’s game, people within the organization were optimistic about Helsley putting his tipping problem and overall poor pitching behind him, pointing to a clean inning Monday.
    Will Sammon, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Another main issue is that the power grind itself now being the endgame is no longer a good motivator to play, nor is the Tier system with 3s not much different than 4s or 5s, and all past weapons being somewhat lame now outside of that system entirely.
    Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
  • Paine proposed a lump sum payment of £15 (£2,306 in 2025) to everyone reaching the age of twenty-one and a £10 (£1,537 in 2025) annual pension for the blind and lame, as well as for those fifty and older.
    Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Using the wrong type of cleaning product for your tub's material can result in scratches, discoloration, or chips.
    Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 14 Sep. 2025
  • Scotsman Robert MacIntyre was pleased to have made the cut with a birdie on the last on Friday evening but when a rare second cut was made to shorten the field for the final day, the 29-year-old from Oban was on the wrong side of the line when finishing 2 under par.
    Caoimhe O'Neill, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The following table lists the deficient, virtuous, and excess descriptions of justice.
    Mary Crossan, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
  • Of the veterinary diets, 66% were found to have lower total protein by design and were also deficient in one or more essential amino acids.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • But that’s actually a bad thing for a couple reasons.
    Jeff Fedotin, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
  • But worse than the poverty was the verbal and physical abuse from his father.
    John Blake, CNN Money, 14 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Without curiosity about how AI reaches its results, employees may blindly accept answers that are flawed.
    Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2025
  • Troublingly, Cal Fire’s flawed models systematically underestimate logging emissions and overestimate regrowth, conveniently ignoring how climate change hamstrings regrowth and fuels wildfires that release yet more emissions.
    John P. O’Brien, Mercury News, 13 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Substandard.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/substandard. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.

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