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# unsatisfactory

adjective (unsatisfactory); adverb unsatisfactorily

«unsatisfactory» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

Unsatisfactory means not good enough, not of the quality wanted: an unsatisfactory answer, unsatisfactory work. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unsatisfactory/#m1)

### In the lessons

Formal word in school reports, exams and inspections: «Your work is unsatisfactory» means you must do better. In everyday life, an unsatisfactory meal or repair did not meet what was needed. Plain words: not good enough, poor, disappointing.

### Examples

- The teacher said my handwriting was unsatisfactory. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unsatisfactory/#x1)
- The repair was unsatisfactory, so the plumber came back. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unsatisfactory/#x2)
- We got an unsatisfactory answer from the shop. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unsatisfactory/#x3)
- The weather was unsatisfactory for a picnic. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unsatisfactory/#x4)
- His behaviour was unsatisfactory, so he lost his playtime. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unsatisfactory/#x5)
- If the result is unsatisfactory, try the experiment again. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unsatisfactory/#x6)
- Of course this was rather unsatisfactory. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unsatisfactory/#x7)

### Note

Formal; in speech say «not good enough». «Un-» + «satisfactory». Spelling: -ory at the end. Opposite: satisfactory (good enough), not «satisfying», which means pleasing.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «unsatisfactory» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unsatisfactory/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«unsatisfactory» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/unsatisfactory.html) on Mova free.