as in unacceptable
falling short of a standard
that's just a bush-league ploy to get cast on a TV reality show
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Recent Examples of bush-league
A lot of times, these bush-league but prolific lawbreakers basically got a warning, then another warning, then maybe a couple of months in county.
—
Anita Chabria, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2024
A lot of times, these bush-league but prolific lawbreakers basically got a warning, then another warning, then maybe a couple of months in county.
—Anita Chabria, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2024
The script constitutes a string of bush-league errors we’re not supposed to care about, starting with the audience getting way, way out ahead of the characters regarding who’s hiding what.
—Michael Phillips, Twin Cities, 7 June 2024
What happened in the California state Assembly truly was a bush-league error.
—George Skelton, Los Angeles Times, 21 July 2023
Anita Chabria, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2024
A lot of times, these bush-league but prolific lawbreakers basically got a warning, then another warning, then maybe a couple of months in county.
—Anita Chabria, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2024
The script constitutes a string of bush-league errors we’re not supposed to care about, starting with the audience getting way, way out ahead of the characters regarding who’s hiding what.
—Michael Phillips, Twin Cities, 7 June 2024
What happened in the California state Assembly truly was a bush-league error.
—George Skelton, Los Angeles Times, 21 July 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bush-league
Adjective
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In his short stint in Scranton, that number has come down a hair, but still resides at an unacceptable 29.4%.—
Aaliyan Mohammed,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 July 2025
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Mistakes should not be viewed as failures or unacceptable setbacks, but rather as calculated risks—necessary steps in the iterative journey of progress.—
Davide Sartini,
Forbes.com,
22 July 2025
Adjective
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As holidays go, however, Flag Day can feel a bit lame.—
Kevin Fisher-Paulson,
San Francisco Chronicle,
8 June 2021
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My 11-year-old loved watching the pups roll balls and play a giant floor piano, but for non-dog owners (guilty as charged), parts of the series—like dressing dogs in little hats and outfits for a Parisian fashion show—feel lame.—
Tim Neville,
Outside Online,
23 Nov. 2020
Adjective
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If the calculation is wrong, everything downstream—equipment selection, duct sizing, airflow balancing—will also be off.—
Brynn Cooksey,
Forbes.com,
30 July 2025
-
Anxiety about your bowel habits may stem from the belief that there’s something wrong with them.—
Sarah Garone,
Health,
30 July 2025
Adjective
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However, the quality of the product is sometimes, notably, poorer.—
Julia Gomez,
USA Today,
4 Aug. 2025
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In the dining room of The Brother Benno Center, a refuge for the area’s poor and homeless, more than 100 people gathered recently to celebrate the 90th birthday of the Rev. Charles Wright, who has been a spiritual guide there for four decades.—
Linda Mcintosh,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Truth be told, neither outcome would have been a bad choice.—
Blake Oestriecher,
Forbes.com,
4 Aug. 2025
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The tab can easily run into thousands of dollars A bad adapter might even expose vehicles and chargers — conceivably, even your home — to cybersecurity threats.—
Mark Phelan,
Freep.com,
3 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Phoenix assumes a pathetic and quietly arrogant demeanor as Joe, who speaks in a squeaky, exasperated cadence.—
Madison Bloom,
Pitchfork,
17 July 2025
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Enter Flores, who was hired shortly after that pathetic performance.—
Steve Silverman,
Forbes.com,
11 July 2025
Adjective
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How the Braves unraveled In hindsight, the Atlanta Braves’ offseason looks rather deficient.—
Ken Rosenthal,
New York Times,
11 July 2025
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On appeal the Circuit Court ordered the Zoning Board to reconsider the case again, finding the Board’s second decision also legally deficient.—
Todd Karpovich,
Baltimore Sun,
10 July 2025
Adjective
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His disastrous tariffs have hit Americans hard, and now the Republican budget is slashing essential services, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and Medicaid, that protected our most vulnerable.—
Juliana Stratton,
Chicago Tribune,
31 July 2025
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Joe Biden’s disastrous debate performance against Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in June 2024.—
Jessica Bennett,
VIBE.com,
31 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bush-league.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bush-league. Accessed 7 Aug. 2025.
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