subpar

/ˌsʌbˈpɑː(r)/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌsʌbˈpɑːr/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈsəb-ˌpär/ (ame, mw)

subpar — adjective

  • subparpositive
  • more subparcomparative
  • most subparsuperlative

1. not as good as what people normally expect or require in a particular situation

1.形容詞B2
釋義

not as good as what people normally expect or require in a particular situation — for example, a student's disappointing test results, a product that does not work as well as others, or a service that fails to meet the usual level of quality.

例句

Salma was unhappy with her subpar score on the driving test.

attributive: subpar + noun describing a result

The hotel received harsh reviews because of its subpar service and dirty rooms.

同義詞
  • inferior

    suggests lower quality overall, often in a ranking; more formal than subpar

  • unsatisfactory

    focuses on not meeting specific requirements or expectations

  • mediocre

    emphasises average or middling quality rather than clearly below standard

反義詞
  • superior

    above average in quality or standard

  • exceptional

    unusually good, far above the expected level

文法句型

subpar + noun

be subpar

用法筆記

Often describes performance, quality, or output in work, education, or customer service contexts. Not normally used for moral or ethical judgments about people.

常見錯誤

❌My test score was subpar of the class average.
✅My test score was subpar compared to the class average.
💡subpar is not followed by 'of'; use 'compared to' or simply 'subpar for'.
❌The food was subpar than usual.
✅The food was subpar compared to usual.
💡subpar does not take 'than' directly.

2. in golf, describing a score that is lower than the official standard number of s

2.形容詞B2
釋義

in golf, describing a score that is lower than the official standard number of strokes set for a hole or for all the holes on a course — a subpar score means the player performed better than the expected level.

例句

João finished the front nine with a subpar score of 32.

attributive: subpar score

Her subpar round of 68 put her three strokes ahead of the field.

collocation: subpar round

同義詞
  • under par

    the more common expression in everyday golf conversation; 'subpar' is slightly more technical

反義詞
  • over par

    a score higher than the standard number of strokes, meaning worse performance

文法句型

subpar + noun

be subpar

go subpar

用法筆記

In golf 'par' is the expected number of strokes for a hole or course. A subpar score means fewer strokes — contrary to the general sense, it indicates good performance here. 'Under par' is more common in informal golf talk.

常見錯誤

❌He shot a subpar round and lost the tournament.' (confusing general and golf meanings)
✅He shot a subpar round of 66 and won the tournament by four strokes.
💡In golf, subpar means better than expected, not worse.