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
Haliburton does have an All-NBA case, though his substandard 15-or-so games in October through early December hurt it.
—
Tony East, Forbes.com, 6 Apr. 2025
Knox and Kincaid were supposed to be a dangerous tandem — maybe the NFL’s most dangerous — in 2024, but Buffalo’s tight ends were substandard.
—Tim Graham, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2025
The problems of poverty — food insecurity, substandard housing, evictions, addiction, unemployment, exposure to violence — impact how kids learn.
—Adam Schwartz, Baltimore Sun, 26 Mar. 2025
The Dolphins’ running game efficiency nosedived last season, largely because of a substandard offensive line.
—Dan Pompei, The Athletic, 25 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for substandard
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Tony East, Forbes.com, 6 Apr. 2025
Knox and Kincaid were supposed to be a dangerous tandem — maybe the NFL’s most dangerous — in 2024, but Buffalo’s tight ends were substandard.
—Tim Graham, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2025
The problems of poverty — food insecurity, substandard housing, evictions, addiction, unemployment, exposure to violence — impact how kids learn.
—Adam Schwartz, Baltimore Sun, 26 Mar. 2025
The Dolphins’ running game efficiency nosedived last season, largely because of a substandard offensive line.
—Dan Pompei, The Athletic, 25 Mar. 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 16 Apr. 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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