as in unacceptable
falling short of a standard the service at the restaurant was subpar, to say the least

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 subpar Their offense is inconsistent, and outside of Garrett Crochet, their starting rotation has been subpar. Aaliyan Mohammed, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 June 2025 These are usually towels that are thin and stitched with weak, subpar quality threads. Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 13 June 2025 If Ohio State and Michigan are both mediocre, the Big Ten will be viewed as having a subpar season. Jon Wilner, Mercury News, 6 June 2025 In times past, the Vatican Bank had a subpar reputation for voluntary compliance with financial transparency initiatives. Robert Goulder, Forbes.com, 2 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for subpar
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subpar
Adjective
  • In his short stint in Scranton, that number has come down a hair, but still resides at an unacceptable 29.4%.
    Aaliyan Mohammed, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 July 2025
  • Mistakes should not be viewed as failures or unacceptable setbacks, but rather as calculated risks—necessary steps in the iterative journey of progress.
    Davide Sartini, Forbes.com, 22 July 2025
Adjective
  • Spurred by climate change, Canadian wildfires have increasingly exacerbated poor air quality across Milwaukee and southern Wisconsin.
    Maia Pandey, jsonline.com, 24 July 2025
  • Of course, poor Michael Landon had passed away way too young.
    Angela Andaloro, People.com, 23 July 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
  • There is nothing wrong with having adapted in this way.
    Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025
  • But new research shows that the intuitive assumption that the water is mostly newly melted snow or fresh rain is dead wrong.
    The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 15 July 2025
Adjective
  • The alternative — keeping him around, highly paid and not played — would have been worse.
    David Ornstein, New York Times, 22 July 2025
  • In other words, telling people their work looks bad and AI-generated is gatekeeping laptop jobs.
    James Folta, Literary Hub, 22 July 2025
Adjective
  • According to a Science Direct article, Western diets are deficient in fiber and essential micronutrients, contributing to gut imbalances, chronic inflammation, and metabolic dysfunction.
    Dianne Plummer, Forbes.com, 18 July 2025
  • Something like 95 percent of people are deficient in fiber.
    Hali Bey Ramdene, Bon Appetit Magazine, 11 July 2025
Adjective
  • There will be four questions related to easing the city’s terrible housing shortage, all useful and needed, and one useless question about moving our local elections from odd years, like this present year, to presidential contest years.
    New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 21 July 2025
  • But when terrible news arrives about her ex, all eyes turn to Ana — whose reputation isn't exactly sterling.
    Lizz Schumer, People.com, 21 July 2025
Adjective
  • Because of Denise Gough's human frailty as a woman destroyed by her own ambition and Kyle Soller's cowardice in the face of a horrible truth.
    Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 23 July 2025
  • Soak up the gall of losing, absorb the horrible information, feel it to the full, go there—and then rebound, with superb elasticity.
    James Parker, The Atlantic, 22 July 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Subpar.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subpar. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!