left a lot to be desired

A form of leave a lot to be desired — To be unsatisfactory; to fail to meet minimal standards of acceptability.

Meanings

verb
  1. participlepastsimple past and past participle of leave a lot to be desired.
Cite this entry
APA

left a lot to be desired. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/left%20a%20lot%20to%20be%20desired

MLA

“left a lot to be desired.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/left%20a%20lot%20to%20be%20desired. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “left a lot to be desired,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/left%20a%20lot%20to%20be%20desired.

Source: left a lot to be desired on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.