below par

Idioms

Also, under par. Not up to the average, normal, or desired standard. For example, I am feeling below par today, but I'm sure I'll recover by tomorrow. This term employs par in the sense of “an average amount or quality,” a usage dating from the late 1700s.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

below par

Anything below par and Morocco, with their speed and creativity, will give them a rough night.

From BBC ● Jun. 19, 2026

England still have "fire" burning in them ahead of the T20 World Cup Super Eights, Jacob Bethell said Friday, admitting that Harry Brook's side had been below par during a lacklustre group campaign.

From Barron's ● Feb. 20, 2026

Though Scotland's score always looked 20 runs below par, England were troubled at one stage.

From BBC ● Feb. 14, 2026

Phil Salt took 24 from the second over, bowled by Holder, and West Indies' total looked 15 runs below par.

From BBC ● Feb. 11, 2026

As the only black player on the squad, I was overly self-conscious at first and performed below par.

From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023