less-than-stellar
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
Mediocre; not satisfactory; not very good, poor; not meeting standards or expectations.
Register: slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
Some years ago there were hundreds of musicians of ability, but of less stellar renown, who toured the country, giving performances at less than stellar fees.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “less-than-stellar” mean?
Mediocre; not satisfactory; not very good, poor; not meeting standards or expectations.
Is “less-than-stellar” formal or informal?
less-than-stellar is generally slang.