substandard
adjective
sub·stan·dard
ˌsəb-ˈstan-dərd 
: deviating from or falling short of a standard or norm: such as
a
: of a quality lower than that prescribed by law
substandard housing
b
: conforming to a pattern of linguistic usage existing within a speech community but not that of the prestige group in that community
c
: constituting a greater than normal risk to an insurer
Examples of substandard in a Sentence
a teacher who rejects substandard work without hesitation
Recent Examples on the Web
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
Carroll got him in the third round with the Seahawks, after Wilson’s substandard height lowered his draft stock.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Feb. 2025
The revelations about the landlord’s history, previously reported by The Bronx Times and The City, revived scrutiny of New York’s aging housing stock and the city’s ability to make sure people are not living in substandard conditions.
—Lola Fadulu, New York Times, 24 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for substandard
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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
Carroll got him in the third round with the Seahawks, after Wilson’s substandard height lowered his draft stock.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Feb. 2025
The revelations about the landlord’s history, previously reported by The Bronx Times and The City, revived scrutiny of New York’s aging housing stock and the city’s ability to make sure people are not living in substandard conditions.
—Lola Fadulu, New York Times, 24 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for substandard
Cite this Entry
“Substandard.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/substandard. Accessed 14 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
substandard
adjective
sub·stan·dard
ˌsəb-ˈstan-dərd
ˈsəb-
1
: varying from or falling short of a standard or norm
substandard housing
2
: following a pattern of linguistic usage that is not considered standard
substandard English
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