Synonyms

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.

Finance Minister John O'Dowd said the amount of funding that the UK government had made available to the Executive was "extremely disappointing" and "significantly below par".

From BBC • Mar. 16, 2026

They are so rarely below par but, on this occasion, a poor start cost them.

From BBC • Mar. 8, 2026

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

From Barron's • Feb. 26, 2026

Although the total appeared below par on paper, the pitch should remain a handful.

From Barron's • Jan. 24, 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