below par

Idioms  

1. 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.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

below par

But despite taking the first set, he was distinctly below par throughout the best-of-three encounter, averaging just 82.41.

From BBC ● Sep. 28, 2026

Vanguard bought structured products and housing bonds, and favored buying bonds below par.

From Barron's ● Feb. 26, 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

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