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suboptimal

[ suhb-op-tuh-muh l ]

/ sʌbˈɒp tə məl /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR suboptimal ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

being below an optimal level or standard.

Words nearby suboptimal

suboccipital muscle, suboccipital nerve, suboccipitobregmatic diameter, suboceanic, subofficer, suboptimal, suborbital, suborder, subordinal, subordinary, subordinate

Also sub·op·ti·mum

[suhb-op-tuh-muh m] /sʌbˈɒp tə məm/.

Origin of suboptimal

First recorded in 1930–35; sub- + optimal

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

The
2019 WORD
OF THE YEAR is...