as in unacceptable
falling short of a standard
an unsatisfactory first attempt at building a birdhouse
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unsatisfactory
Since 2023, there have been mechanisms by which second division, or Liga Expansión, teams can join Liga MX — through meeting certain criteria — but the system is complicated, woolly and unsatisfactory.
—
Phil Hay, New York Times, 29 May 2025
Conventional assumptions held that Israel will refrain from any action until those negotiations either failed altogether or concluded in unsatisfactory fashion—and that, if a deal with the Islamic Republic was struck, no Israeli military action would be forthcoming at all.
—Ilan Berman, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 June 2025
If the answers to these questions are unsatisfactory, your readiness is in question.
—Vivek Ahuja, Forbes.com, 27 May 2025
The Federal Government Is Doing Less Post George Floyd
Despite this unsatisfactory state of affairs, the federal government is doing less to address these challenges.
—Gena Cox, Forbes.com, 24 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for unsatisfactory
Phil Hay, New York Times, 29 May 2025
Conventional assumptions held that Israel will refrain from any action until those negotiations either failed altogether or concluded in unsatisfactory fashion—and that, if a deal with the Islamic Republic was struck, no Israeli military action would be forthcoming at all.
—Ilan Berman, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 June 2025
If the answers to these questions are unsatisfactory, your readiness is in question.
—Vivek Ahuja, Forbes.com, 27 May 2025
The Federal Government Is Doing Less Post George Floyd
Despite this unsatisfactory state of affairs, the federal government is doing less to address these challenges.
—Gena Cox, Forbes.com, 24 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for unsatisfactory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unsatisfactory
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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Republicans were more evenly split, with 38% calling it unacceptable and 32% labeling it as acceptable.—
Brendan Rascius,
Miami Herald,
22 July 2025
Adjective
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Spurred by climate change, Canadian wildfires have increasingly exacerbated poor air quality across Milwaukee and southern Wisconsin.—
Maia Pandey,
jsonline.com,
24 July 2025
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Other critical factors that led to several brands exiting Japan, like Ford in 2016, were insufficient product lineups, and a poor dealer network.—
Peter Lyon,
Forbes.com,
23 July 2025
Adjective
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Anxiety about your bowel habits may stem from the belief that there’s something wrong with them.—
Sarah Garone,
Health,
30 July 2025
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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
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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Making the timing of this move even worse, JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon, the nation’s most high-profile banker, is warning that private credit funds may be heading for a 2008-style crisis.—
Orlando Sentinel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
22 July 2025
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In other words, telling people their work looks bad and AI-generated is gatekeeping laptop jobs.—
James Folta,
Literary Hub,
22 July 2025
Adjective
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According to a Science Direct article, Western diets are deficient in fiber and essential micronutrients, contributing to gut imbalances, chronic inflammation, and metabolic dysfunction.—
Dianne Plummer,
Forbes.com,
18 July 2025
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Something like 95 percent of people are deficient in fiber.—
Hali Bey Ramdene,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
11 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unsatisfactory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unsatisfactory. Accessed 4 Aug. 2025.
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