UNSATISFACTORY

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does unsatisfactory mean? 

• UNSATISFACTORY (adjective)
  The adjective UNSATISFACTORY has 1 sense:

1. not giving satisfaction

  Familiarity information: UNSATISFACTORY used as an adjective is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• UNSATISFACTORY (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Not giving satisfaction

Context example:

our discussion was very unsatisfactory

Similar:

disappointing; dissatisfactory; unsatisfying (not up to expectations)

failing (below acceptable in performance)

off (below a satisfactory level)

unacceptable (not adequate to give satisfaction)

Also:

unacceptable (not acceptable; not welcome)

inadequate; unequal (lacking the requisite qualities or resources to meet a task)

Antonym:

satisfactory (giving satisfaction)

Derivation:

unsatisfactoriness (the quality of being inadequate or unsuitable)

 Context examples 

Mary never wrote to Bath herself; all the toil of keeping up a slow and unsatisfactory correspondence with Elizabeth fell on Anne.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

But no more unsatisfactory great man ever sailed on a ship.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Issue associated with an unsatisfactory humidity level in the storage or use environment which affects device performance.

(Moisture or Humidity Problem Associated with Medical Device, Food and Drug Administration)

An action that is deemed unsatisfactory or unacceptable.

(Disapproval, NCI Thesaurus)

Issue associated with unsatisfactory installation, configuration, and/or setup of a specific device or technology.

(Installation-Related Problem Associated with Medical Device, Food and Drug Administration)

He was in one of his moods, for the day had been both unprofitable and unsatisfactory, and he was wishing he could live it over again.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

A few minutes were enough for such unsatisfactory sensations on each side; and Sir Thomas having exerted himself so far as to speak a few words of calm approbation in reply to an eager appeal of Mr. Yates, as to the happiness of the arrangement, the three gentlemen returned to the drawing-room together, Sir Thomas with an increase of gravity which was not lost on all.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

The latter method of obtaining the desired intelligence was dilatory and unsatisfactory; besides, I had an insurmountable aversion to the idea of engaging myself in my loathsome task in my father’s house while in habits of familiar intercourse with those I loved.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

The unsatisfactory appearance of it is due to the fact, said he, that on descending the river the boat was upset and the case which contained the undeveloped films was broken, with disastrous results.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

If our honorarium is unsatisfactory, kindly telegraph us at once and state what you consider a fair price.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)