First published 1926; not yet revised

unsatisfactoryadjective

Meaning & use
Pronunciation
Frequency

Quotations

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Factsheet

What does the adjective unsatisfactory mean?

There are two meanings listed in OED's entry for the adjective unsatisfactory. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

Entry status

OED is undergoing a continuous programme of revision to modernize and improve definitions. This entry has not yet been fully revised.

See meaning & use

How common is the adjective unsatisfactory?

About 5occurrences per million words in modern written English

1750	1.2
1760	1.4
1770	1.8
1780	1.9
1790	2.1
1800	2.3
1810	2.8
1820	3.4
1830	4.1
1840	4.7
1850	5.4
1860	6.0
1870	6.6
1880	6.9
1890	7.3
1900	8.1
1910	9.1
1920	9.8
1930	10
1940	9.9
1950	9.4
1960	8.5
1970	7.2
1980	5.7
1990	4.3
2000	3.5
2010	3.2

See frequency

How is the adjective unsatisfactory pronounced?

British English

/ˌʌnsatᵻsˈfakt(ə)ri/

U.S. English

/ˌənˌsædəsˈfæktəri/

See pronunciation

Where does the adjective unsatisfactory come from?

Earliest known use

mid 1600s

The earliest known use of the adjective unsatisfactory is in the mid 1600s.

OED's earliest evidence for unsatisfactory is from around 1637–50, in the writing of John Row, Church of Scotland minister and author.

Nearby entries

unsatiably, adv.1541–1665
unsatiate, adj.1528–
unsatiated, adj.1701–
unsatiating, adj.a1774–
unsating, adj.1818–
unsatire, v.1638–
unsatirical, adj.1592–
unsatisfaction, n.1643–
unsatisfactorily, adv.1657–
unsatisfactoriness, n.1643–
unsatisfactory, adj.1637–
unsatisfiable, adj.1539–
unsatisfied, adj.c1430–
unsatisfiedness, n.1646–
unsatisfy, v.1652
unsatisfying, adj.1656–
unsatisfyingly, adv.1653–
unsaturable, adj.1535–
unsaturate, n.1934–
unsaturated, adj.1758–
unsaturation, n.1885–

Browse more nearby entries

Meaning & use

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Frequency

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Entry history for unsatisfactory, adj.

unsatisfactory, adj. was first published in 1926; not yet revised

unsatisfactory, adj. was last modified in September 2023

Revision of the OED is a long-term project. Entries in oed.com which have not been revised may include:

corrections and revisions to definitions, pronunciation, etymology, headwords, variant spellings, quotations, and dates;
new senses, phrases, and quotations which have been added in subsequent print and online updates.

Revisions and additions of this kind were last incorporated into unsatisfactory, adj. in September 2023.

Earlier versions of unsatisfactory, adj. were published in:

OED First Edition (1926)

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OED Second Edition (1989)

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View unsatisfactory, adj. in Second Edition

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Chicago

Oxford English Dictionary, s.v. “,” , .

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“” Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford UP, , .

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Citation details

Factsheet for unsatisfactory, adj.

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Nearby entries

unsatiably, adv.1541–1665
unsatiate, adj.1528–
unsatiated, adj.1701–
unsatiating, adj.a1774–
unsating, adj.1818–
unsatire, v.1638–
unsatirical, adj.1592–
unsatisfaction, n.1643–
unsatisfactorily, adv.1657–
unsatisfactoriness, n.1643–
unsatisfactory, adj.1637–
unsatisfiable, adj.1539–
unsatisfied, adj.c1430–
unsatisfiedness, n.1646–
unsatisfy, v.1652
unsatisfying, adj.1656–
unsatisfyingly, adv.1653–
unsaturable, adj.1535–
unsaturate, n.1934–
unsaturated, adj.1758–
unsaturation, n.1885–

Browse more nearby entries