# substandard

/səbˈstændɝd/ (US) · /sˈʌbstændəd/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/substandard
Updated: 2026-05-18

## Definition

not good enough to meet the usual or official standards. You use this to describe things like poor quality work or buildings that are unsafe.

For teachers: not meeting the required or expected standards of quality, safety, or performance. Often used in legal or technical contexts to describe work that fails to comply with minimum regulations.

## Examples

- The inspector found several substandard conditions in the factory.
- The government shut down the restaurant after discovering substandard hygiene practices that posed a health risk to customers.
- While the initial design was innovative, the final product suffered from substandard construction that led to significant structural failures within the first year of operation.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.