unsatisfactory

unsatisfactory — adjective

1. Not reaching the expected standard of quality or performance, so that it cannot

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

Not reaching the expected standard of quality or performance, so that it cannot be accepted or approved.

Example

Mr. Adisa's report was found unsatisfactory by the committee, so he had to rewrite it.

passive: be found unsatisfactory [by someone]

Quan received an unsatisfactory performance review after missing several project deadlines.

attributive: unsatisfactory + noun (performance review)

Common collocations
  • unsatisfactory result
  • unsatisfactory performance
  • unsatisfactory quality
  • unsatisfactory condition
  • unsatisfactory explanation
  • found unsatisfactory
  • deemed unsatisfactory
  • considered unsatisfactory
Synonyms
  • unacceptable

    Stronger; implies something cannot be tolerated at all

  • inadequate

    Focuses on insufficient amount or degree rather than quality

  • poor

    More general and less formal; covers low quality broadly

  • disappointing

    Focuses on the emotional letdown rather than the objective standard

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

be + unsatisfactory

find/deem/consider + object + unsatisfactory

unsatisfactory + noun

Usage Note

Frequently describes things (work, results, quality, conditions, service) rather than people. Compare with unsatisfied, which describes a person's feeling of not being pleased.

Common Mistakes

The customers felt unsatisfactory with the service.
The customers felt unsatisfied with the service.' or 'The service was unsatisfactory.
'unsatisfactory' describes the thing or situation, not a person's feeling.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

Unsatisfactory is the most neutral and formal of the four — it simply states that something does not meet the expected standard of quality or performance. Unacceptable is much stronger, carrying a sense of moral or practical outrage: something that cannot be tolerated at all. Inadequate focuses on insufficient quantity or degree rather than quality — the amount is too small, not necessarily that the quality is bad. Disappointing describes the emotional letdown caused by something that fell short of hopes or expectations. For example, a hotel room could be unsatisfactory because the heating is weak, unacceptable if the bathroom is dirty, inadequate if there is only one towel for four guests, and disappointing if the photos online looked much better than reality.

unsatisfactory ↗unacceptable ↗inadequate ↗disappointing ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

  • highly unsatisfactory
  • wholly unsatisfactory
  • clearly unsatisfactory
  • deeply unsatisfactory

Prepositions

  • unsatisfactory for [a purpose]
  • unsatisfactory to [someone]

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Formed by adding the prefix 'un-' (meaning 'not') to 'satisfactory'. 'Satisfactory' comes from the Latin word satisfacere, which means 'to do enough' — built from satis ('enough') and facere ('to do' or 'to make'). The word entered English through French in the 1600s.