leave a lot to be desired

Idioms

Also,. Be imperfect or unsatisfactory. For example, His account of the election leaves a lot to be desired. This usage can also be put in a more positive way, that is, leave nothing to be desired, meaning “to be perfectly satisfactory,” as in His account leaves nothing to be desired. [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:

leave a lot to be desired

Investors who really want to take part in the big IPOs are already trying to find ways in through specialist vehicles, some of which leave a lot to be desired.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 3, 2026

The negative, she says, is that much of the wider media's coverage of AI can leave a lot to be desired.

From BBC ● Mar. 13, 2024

I live in hotels, and I can tell you that even the best hotel breakfasts leave a lot to be desired.

From Seattle Times ● Dec. 11, 2023

But anyone who already owns one can tell you that the company’s straps leave a lot to be desired.

From The Verge ● Nov. 25, 2021

Their language isn't apt to be any too refined and their table manners leave a lot to be desired.

From Bert Wilson in the Rockies by J. W. Duffield

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