What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
dissatisfactory
Example
The quality of the food was dissatisfactory, and we ended up leaving the restaurant early. [dissatisfactory: adjective]
Example
The dissatisfactory results of the experiment led to a reevaluation of the hypothesis. [dissatisfactory: noun]
unsatisfactory
Example
The unsatisfactory performance of the machine led to a recall by the manufacturer. [unsatisfactory: adjective]
Example
The teacher gave the student an unsatisfactory grade due to incomplete work. [unsatisfactory: noun]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Unsatisfactory is more commonly used than dissatisfactory in everyday language.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between dissatisfactory and unsatisfactory?
Unsatisfactory is more commonly used in formal contexts than dissatisfactory, which is more commonly used in informal contexts.
