Definition of unsatisfactorynext
as in unacceptable
falling short of a standard an unsatisfactory first attempt at building a birdhouse

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of unsatisfactory Its cleaning efforts were similarly unsatisfactory, often resulting in collisions. Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 3 Nov. 2025 Because when the status quo in sub-Saharan Africa is so unsatisfactory—with substandard education, healthcare, security, and so on—these tend to be the focus of domestic resources. Charlie Campbell, Time, 30 Oct. 2025 While some users report strong performance on Trustpilot, others cite installation delays, outages or unsatisfactory support. Roxanne Downer, USA Today, 30 Oct. 2025 Venture capital scored the lowest net sentiment, with 33% of respondents reporting unsatisfactory returns. Hayley Cuccinello, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for unsatisfactory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unsatisfactory
Adjective
  • Local officials criticized the FAA for imposing the closure without advance notice or coordination, calling the lack of communication unacceptable.
    Seung Min Kim, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026
  • That failure to communicate is unacceptable.
    Jay Blackman, NBC news, 11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • Semmann said stores raise prices primarily in response to supply chain issues, such as poor harvests, changes to international trade policy or increasing logistical costs.
    Francesca Pica, jsonline.com, 10 Feb. 2026
  • Boating conditions are poor across offshore waters south of Cape Canaveral, while small craft need to exercise caution near the inlets.
    Garfield Hylton, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • Now Rubio was telling liberal centrist foreign leaders that their entire outlook was wrong, echoing the far-right populist opponents who might well unseat them in upcoming elections.
    Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 15 Feb. 2026
  • And so the custodians became irate when photographs emerged of the actor Sarah Pidgeon, who plays Bessette in Murphy’s show, looking all wrong on set.
    Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 14 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • And Siegfried keeps trying to understand what’s wrong with this goat that its owner claims is lame.
    Alice Burton, Vulture, 9 Feb. 2026
  • With about a year left until the next mayoral election, the attacks from Johnson’s opponents attempting to preemptively paint him as a lame-duck mayor could also turn off candidates worried about job stability, but their contract specifics would vary by agency.
    Alice Yin, Chicago Tribune, 4 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • In 2006, ahead of the Turin Olympics, Vonn took a bad fall during downhill training and went to the hospital.
    ANDREW DAMPF, Arkansas Online, 9 Feb. 2026
  • Attending a bad Super Bowl is the Super Bowl of communal experiences.
    Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • The opinion noted that attorneys did not argue that Idaho’s system of public schools was deficient, or that the tax credit program would make it so.
    Becca Savransky, Idaho Statesman, 6 Feb. 2026
  • Those who are deficient in magnesium are more likely to have anemia.
    Jessica Swirble, Verywell Health, 4 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Unsatisfactory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unsatisfactory. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.

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