variants
or less commonly sub-par
chiefly US
: below par: such as
a
: below a usual or normal level or standard
subpar attendance
a subpar performance
Why would a major football school fire a successful coach following a single subpar season?—
Jerry Kirshenbaum
Jerry KirshenbaumBecause of phylloxera, vineyards have been inconsistent and yielding subpar grapes.—James Laube
James Laube
b
golf
: having a score lower than par
His 19 birdies and two eagles gave him more subpar holes than anyone …—David Barrett
David Barrett… Augusta National never played easier. … Saturday's 30 subpar rounds broke a third-round tournament record …—John Garrity
John Garrity
Did you know?
Since sub- means "below", almost anything that fails to measure up to a traditional standard may be called subpar. So you may hear of subpar ratings for a TV show, subpar care at a nursing home, subpar attendance at a concert, or subpar work by a contractor. If you played a subpar round of golf, though, you needed more strokes than you should have.
Examples of subpar in a Sentence
the service at the restaurant was subpar, to say the least
Recent Examples on the Web
Siakam can get the Pacers going on some nights when their offense is subpar.
—Tony East, Forbes.com, 31 May 2025
But some bumps in the road are to be expected, and Friday was one of those days for Rea, who turned in a subpar performance in a 6-2 loss to the Cincinnati Reds before 36,019 at Wrigley Field.
—Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 30 May 2025
After nearly a decade of complaints, the overhaul is a welcome development to lawmakers and aides alike who believe the previous offerings were subpar.
—Rachel Schilke, The Washington Examiner, 25 May 2025
Cruise framed the film's subpar reception as a teachable moment.
—Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for subpar
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Tony East, Forbes.com, 31 May 2025
But some bumps in the road are to be expected, and Friday was one of those days for Rea, who turned in a subpar performance in a 6-2 loss to the Cincinnati Reds before 36,019 at Wrigley Field.
—Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 30 May 2025
After nearly a decade of complaints, the overhaul is a welcome development to lawmakers and aides alike who believe the previous offerings were subpar.
—Rachel Schilke, The Washington Examiner, 25 May 2025
Cruise framed the film's subpar reception as a teachable moment.
—Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for subpar
Cite this Entry
“Subpar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/subpar. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.
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