subpar
Americanadjective
Etymology
Origin of subpar
First recorded in 1895–1900; sub- ( def. ) + par 1 ( def. )
Explanation
Anything that's subpar is worse than average. When a football team has a subpar season, it is a huge letdown for their biggest fans. Subpar things just aren't up to their usual standards. Your subpar attendance at school may mean extra homework, and the math team's subpar showing at the district competition might keep them out of the state finals this year. In golf, subpar means a golfer had to hit the ball more times than expected to get it in the hole. Subpar is from sub-, or "under" and par, or "average," from a Latin root meaning "equality."
Vocabulary lists containing subpar
Chronically Dolores
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
(S)Kin
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Lacking
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
This year’s earning growth is expected to be subpar at around 4% but accelerating to nearly 10% in 2027.
From Barron's • May 15, 2026
Notice that volume during the current five week winning streak has been subpar compared with prior weeks, when volume was robust during declining weeks.
From Barron's • May 4, 2026
She found its themes trite, and its prose subpar.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 23, 2026
The Dow Jones Transportation Average, seen as a proxy for the health of the U.S. economy, has been on a historic run lately following a protracted period of subpar returns.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 21, 2026
“Yeah,” Lydia said, “but another year is a long time to eat subpar pizza.”
From "The Serpent King" by Jeff Zentner
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
