subpar

IPA/ˌsʌbˈpɑː(r)/
KK[səbpˈɑr]IPA/ˌsʌbˈpɑːr/

subpar — 形容詞

  • subparpositive
  • more subparcomparative
  • most subparsuperlative

1. not as good as what most people would think of as normal or acceptable, especial

1.形容詞B2
釋義

低於標準

品質或表現未達應有水平

not as good as what most people would think of as normal or acceptable, especially when referring to the quality of work, service, or performance

例句

The hotel room was clean but the service was subpar, so Kasia did not leave a tip.

那間旅館的房間很乾淨，但服務低於標準，所以 Kasia 沒有留下小費。

subpar as adjective after linking verb (was subpar)

Samir's exam results were subpar this semester, so his teacher offered extra tutoring.

Samir 這學期的考試成績低於標準，因此老師建議他額外補習。

collocation: subpar results

同義詞
  • mediocre

    suggests average or middling quality; 'subpar' more directly says it falls below a minimum expected level

  • inferior

    a stronger word that implies worse than others in the same category, not just below a personal standard

  • unsatisfactory

    focuses on failing to meet the user's needs or requirements rather than a general quality benchmark

反義詞
  • exceptional

    far above the usual standard, the opposite of falling short

  • superior

    better in quality than what is normal or expected

用法筆記

Subject is usually the thing whose quality is being judged: a product, service, result, or performance. The opposite idea is expressed by 'above par' or 'exceptional'.

常見錯誤

❌The food was subpar to what I expected.
✅The food was subpar compared to what I expected.
💡'subpar' is not a comparative adjective and cannot take 'to' like 'inferior to'.

2. in golf, describing a score that is better than the official standard for a hole

2.形容詞B1
釋義

低於標準桿

高爾夫中，低於規定桿數

in golf, describing a score that is better than the official standard for a hole or an entire course, meaning the player used fewer strokes than par allows

例句

Felix was thrilled to finish the round with a subpar score of sixty-eight.

Felix 很開心以低於標準桿的六十八桿完成這一輪比賽。

subpar + noun (score) — golf meaning

The clubhouse manager announced that only two players had subpar rounds that day.

俱樂部經理宣布當天只有兩名選手打出低於標準桿的成績。

同義詞
  • under par

    the original golf term; 'subpar' is a later equivalent that became more common in general usage

反義詞
  • over par

    when a player takes more strokes than the standard

用法筆記

This is a golf-specific sense. Outside of golf, 'subpar' almost always refers to the general 'below standard' meaning and would be interpreted negatively. In golf, however, being subpar means the player is doing well because fewer strokes is better.