substandard

[suhb-stan-derd]

See more synonyms on Thesaurus.com

adjective

below standard or less than adequate: substandard housing conditions.
noting or pertaining to a dialect or variety of a language or a feature of usage that is often considered by others to mark its user as uneducated; nonstandard.
Insurance.
1. not measuring up to an insurer's regular standards in undertaking risks: a substandard risk.
2. pertaining to insurance written to cover substandard risks.

Origin of substandard

First recorded in 1895–1900; sub- + standard

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for substandard

Contemporary Examples

The consequences of substandard teaching go far beyond whether college or a good job is in reach.
Vergara v. California: The Most Important Court Case You’ve Never Heard Of
Campbell Brown
May 29, 2014
This building is at risk of erupting into flames due to substandard electrical wiring, SIGAR found.
U.S.-Built Schools in Afghanistan Pose ‘Potentially Life-Threatening Risks’
June 26, 2013
Milam expresses a similar sentiment, dismissing the misconception that Web productions are substandard to traditional media.
Introducing ‘School of Thrones’: ‘Game of Thrones’ Parody Web Series
Molly Taylor
March 9, 2013
Who will make sure that haste to satisfy the displaced does not lead to substandard building?
How Will the Tri-State Area Rebuild After Sandy?
Megan McArdle
November 19, 2012
They continue to be bogged down with allegations of substandard mental-health care.
Armed Services Members MIA in Presidential Debates, Campaign
Marjorie Morrison
October 17, 2012

Historical Examples

Get rid of the substandard wiring, the ancient, lead-leaching plumbing, the cracked tile and water-warped crumbling plaster.
Someone Comes to Town, Someone Leaves Town
Cory Doctorow
Substandard wages provide only a substandard market for the goods and services produced by American industry and agriculture.
State of the Union Addresses of Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman
This is shocking evidence that large sections of the population are at substandard levels of health.
State of the Union Addresses of Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman

British Dictionary definitions for substandard

substandard

adjective

below an established or required standard
another word for nonstandard

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for substandard

adj.

also sub-standard, 1909, from sub- + standard (adj.).

substandard

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}substandard

Examples from the Web for substandard

Contemporary Examples

The consequences of substandard teaching go far beyond whether college or a good job is in reach.

This building is at risk of erupting into flames due to substandard electrical wiring, SIGAR found.

Milam expresses a similar sentiment, dismissing the misconception that Web productions are substandard to traditional media.

Who will make sure that haste to satisfy the displaced does not lead to substandard building?

They continue to be bogged down with allegations of substandard mental-health care.

Historical Examples

Get rid of the substandard wiring, the ancient, lead-leaching plumbing, the cracked tile and water-warped crumbling plaster.

Substandard wages provide only a substandard market for the goods and services produced by American industry and agriculture.

This is shocking evidence that large sections of the population are at substandard levels of health.

substandard

Word Origin and History for substandard

adj.

Origin of substandard