Substandard: meaning, definitions and examples

Used to describe something that does not meet the normal standards or expectations, often in formal contexts such as regulations or quality control.

• The building was deemed substandard by the inspectors.
• Substandard medical care can be dangerous to patients.

Applied to describe something of lower quality or value in comparison to something else, often used in a negative and sometimes pejorative way.

• This product is inferior to the other one we tested.
• He felt inferior to his older brother who had accomplished much more.

Commonly used to describe performance or quality that is poorer than what is typical or expected, especially in informal situations.

• Her performance at work has been below par recently.
• The food at that restaurant was below par.

Used to describe something that does not meet the required or desired standards, especially in formal evaluations or feedback.

• The student's behavior was deemed unsatisfactory by the teacher.
• I found the hotel service to be unsatisfactory.

Interchangeable with the first entry but detailed to show dual contexts - can be used in regulatory or quality discussions.

• The housing conditions were found to be substandard by the health department.
• Consumers complained about substandard services being provided.

Often used in consumer reviews or informal discussions to describe a product that is noticeably worse in quality compared to others.

• I wouldn't recommend that brand; I bought an inferior product from them last time.
• This is an inferior product and not worth the price.

Commonly used in both formal and informal conversations. It generally refers to any item that lacks durability, performance, or overall quality.

• Be careful when shopping online; you might end up with a low-quality item.
• We returned the low-quality item for a refund.