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

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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 subpar Sure, everyone wants to be an early selection, but more often than not, that leads to landing on a subpar team. Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 15 May 2025 Former New York Yankees outfielder Alex Verdugo had a subpar year last season, with a .233 batting average and .647 OPS while striking out 93 times in 621 plate appearances. Jon Vankin, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 May 2025 Siakam can get the Pacers going on some nights when their offense is subpar. Tony East, Forbes.com, 31 May 2025 But some bumps in the road are to be expected, and Friday was one of those days for Rea, who turned in a subpar performance in a 6-2 loss to the Cincinnati Reds before 36,019 at Wrigley Field. Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 30 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for subpar
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subpar
Adjective
  • The use of unilateral sanctions against Special Rapporteurs or any other UN expert or official is unacceptable.
    Amira El-Fekki‎, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 July 2025
  • Students, both the ones who behave and the ones who misbehave, need to know that there are real consequences for unacceptable behavior.
    Carrie Lukas, Forbes.com, 9 July 2025
Adjective
  • But August is perhaps a poor month in which to rally the staff.
    John Updike, New Yorker, 11 July 2025
  • This last group is those with still poor (<50) RS Ratings, but strong (>80) 3-month RS Ratings. a.
    Randy Watts, Forbes.com, 11 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
  • One of the company’s big assumptions about the phone had turned out to be wrong.
    Verne Kopytoff, Fortune, 5 July 2025
  • However, according to the Baseball Rules Academy, the umpires got the call wrong.
    Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 5 July 2025
Adjective
  • But Littell, who had been on a good roll, had — by his standards — a bad day, allowing the Tigers to go ahead 3-2 in the fourth.
    Marc Topkin, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 July 2025
  • But conditions can be so much worse and the resources can be strained.
    Erika I. Ritchie, Oc Register, 10 July 2025
Adjective
  • The report alleges a range of major violations plaguing St. Hope Public Schools — including conflicts of interests among its top officers, improper use of public funding, deficient accounting processes and the employment of a largely unqualified teaching staff.
    Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 21 May 2025
  • If a person is not deficient in iron, too much iron can cause significant problems.5 3.
    Heather Jones, Verywell Health, 23 June 2025
Adjective
  • Vegas bounced back from a terrible loss to the Fever with an 86-68 win over the Sun on Sunday.
    Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 July 2025
  • And because of that, it’s shielded us from the terrible things that happen downstream in the supply chain.
    Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 8 July 2025
Adjective
  • Maybe the news reports and images trigger your feelings around a horrible experience at a camp, a personal loss of a child, or even just a loss of feeling safe and in control of the world, said Hurlbert.
    Madeline Holcombe, CNN Money, 11 July 2025
  • For many who were directly affected by the flood, these post-flood days have been like waking up from a horrible nightmare.
    Bea L. Hines, Miami Herald, 11 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Subpar.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subpar. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.

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