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
Synonyms
Examples of substandard in a Sentence
a teacher who rejects substandard work without hesitation
Recent Examples on the Web
This in part because Biden's FDA has been lax in enforcing penalties on commercial compounding facilities that produce substandard knockoffs.
—
Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 16 Dec. 2024
Working class and poor Americans, especially renters, have long been forced to endure long commutes or live in substandard housing in almost every city, says Jenny Schuetz, an urban economist previously with the Brookings Institute who has researched exclusive communities.
—Mark Dent, thehustle.co, 18 Oct. 2024
Counterfeit goods pose significant risks to shoppers' health and safety, as they are frequently made from substandard materials, produced in unregulated and unsanitary environments, and mislabeled with inaccurate information, according to CBP.
—Billal Rahman, Newsweek, 27 Nov. 2024
Maybe worse, it’s largely been the same story as the last few seasons: An exciting and talented core has too many lapses at too many wrong moments, and pays for it because of substandard goaltending.
—Sean McIndoe, The Athletic, 25 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for substandard 
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.
Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 16 Dec. 2024
Working class and poor Americans, especially renters, have long been forced to endure long commutes or live in substandard housing in almost every city, says Jenny Schuetz, an urban economist previously with the Brookings Institute who has researched exclusive communities.
—Mark Dent, thehustle.co, 18 Oct. 2024
Counterfeit goods pose significant risks to shoppers' health and safety, as they are frequently made from substandard materials, produced in unregulated and unsanitary environments, and mislabeled with inaccurate information, according to CBP.
—Billal Rahman, Newsweek, 27 Nov. 2024
Maybe worse, it’s largely been the same story as the last few seasons: An exciting and talented core has too many lapses at too many wrong moments, and pays for it because of substandard goaltending.
—Sean McIndoe, The Athletic, 25 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for substandard
Dictionary Entries Near substandard
Cite this Entry
“Substandard.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/substandard. Accessed 2 Jan. 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share