How to Use unsatisfactory in a Sentence

unsatisfactory

adjective
  • He was fired for unsatisfactory performance.
  • And then the third thing is the dam in poor or unsatisfactory condition.
    — Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 17 Nov. 2022
  • All of these things are true, and Biden’s response is still unsatisfactory.
    — Michael McGough Los Angeles Times, Star Tribune, 13 Oct. 2020
  • My wife gave me an unsatisfactory glance from the window and then vacuumed.
    — Josh Lorenzo, Washington Post, 2 Nov. 2017
  • Jayapal gave me a long, tight hug, and offered a kind though unsatisfactory response.
    — Literary Hub, 26 Feb. 2026
  • Fajardo said some of her van clients tried to call the number, but they were left with unsatisfactory results.
    — Wilborn P. Nobles Iii, NOLA.com, 12 Apr. 2018
  • But a customer returned to say her children found the brown box unsatisfactory.
    — David Pierson, latimes.com, 25 May 2017
  • My white clay cat test creation was mostly unsatisfactory, while a fabric rose proved a bit better, if dark.
    — Bill Loguidice, Ars Technica, 17 June 2017
  • Right now, the current standard of care to treat mental health is unsatisfactory.
    — Jill Griffin, Forbes, 28 Dec. 2021
  • The suspense built in his books never lead to an unsatisfactory ending.
    — Sheena Scott, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2021
  • The ideas have been rejected as unsatisfactory by the EU many times over the past two years.
    — Ian Wishart, Bloomberg.com, 22 Aug. 2019
  • Even then, the results are often unsatisfactory for your (once) vibrant white shirts.
    — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 3 Sep. 2025
  • But there has long been another unsatisfactory aspect to the spring hearings process – low turnout.
    — Paul A. Smith, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 16 May 2018
  • This can give shoppers a better sense of how clothes fit them, reducing the risk of buying items that don't fit or are unsatisfactory.
    — Saul Maslavi, Forbes, 10 Feb. 2023
  • Rising food prices have made grocery store trips stressful and unsatisfactory, even for the employed.
    — Paige McGlauflin, Fortune, 7 Aug. 2023
  • Focusing on the art while skimping on the life can be equally unsatisfactory.
    — Peter Rainer, The Christian Science Monitor, 21 Nov. 2023
  • That was unsatisfactory to Trump, who has wanted to oust Powell for years.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 24 Apr. 2026
  • If the answers to these questions are unsatisfactory, your readiness is in question.
    — Vivek Ahuja, Forbes.com, 27 May 2025
  • This full moon might also highlight aspects of your current home or family life that are unsatisfactory and ready for change.
    — Kirah Tabourn, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Mar. 2023
  • There were even calls for his sacking at the final whistle after an unsatisfactory 1-1 draw.
    — Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 28 May 2026
  • As a matter of fact, the sales of luxury goods in China in the first quarter of this year were indeed unsatisfactory.
    — Li Jun, WWD, 24 June 2024
  • Three-quarters of the companies surveyed said some or all of their recent graduate hires were unsatisfactory in some way.
    — Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 26 Sep. 2024
  • Lori Alhadeff, who asked the board to fire Runcie last year, gave him an unsatisfactory rating again this year.
    — Scott Travis, sun-sentinel.com, 2 Oct. 2020
  • If the effect of the anti-aliasing is unsatisfactory in these contexts, the cable is a little awkward.
    — Peter Bright, Ars Technica, 29 Sep. 2017
  • If the new itinerary is unsatisfactory, Delta will offer refunds or work with passengers to find flights that meet their needs.
    — Eve Chen, USA TODAY, 27 May 2022
  • The new rules still unsatisfactory to the president's critics.
    — ABC News, 14 May 2023
  • An employee laid off due to a drop in business who was selected as part of the layoff group because of unsatisfactory performance should be told so.
    — Dan Eaton, sandiegouniontribune.com, 29 May 2017
  • More than likely, Silver’s answer will be unsatisfactory for most.
    — Zach Harper, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2026
  • That process seems to be the issue the commission has with Twitter’s unsatisfactory report.
    — Ashley Belanger, Ars Technica, 9 Feb. 2023
  • When money is guaranteed for skill, he is entitled to that money if a club ends the deal because his performance has been unsatisfactory.
    — Dan Sheldon, New York Times, 6 Apr. 2026

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'unsatisfactory.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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