lousy performance

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "lousy performance" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation where someone or something has not met expectations or has performed poorly. Example: "The team's lousy performance in the last match led to their elimination from the tournament."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

19 human-written examples

Shareholders should know there are people who are overpaid when the company has a lousy performance".

The New York Times

The economy's lousy performance since the bubble burst in 1990 is an old story, and all efforts to revive it seem to come to naught.

The Economist

(On January 19th, Royal Bank of Scotland announced record losses for a British firm of £28 billion, reflecting lousy performance of its loans and its part in the ill-advised takeover of ABN AMRO, a Dutch bank).

The Economist

Petrobras is today an exemplar of something else: the lousy performance of state-owned firms.Ronald Reagan said the nine most terrifying words in the English language were "I'm from the government and I'm here to help".

The Economist

Here's the best part: Mr. Prince's bonus is not based on the company's lousy performance in 2007, as my colleague Eric Dash recently pointed out, but on the company's much better performance in 2006.

The New York Times

Money back!" According to Donn Draeger, "the Budokan janitorial people took almost a full day to clean up the garbage that was hurled at the two 'combatants' as the result of their lousy performance".

The Guardian - Sport

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

37 human-written examples

Two years of injuries, indifferent training, lousy performances.

The New Yorker

They have had five fourth-quarter game-winning drives, and Luck has rebounded from some lousy performances to pull out victories (like last week against Detroit).

The New York Times

After three years of lousy job performance, we should be seeing very big employment gains -- and even after last month's report, we're not.

The New York Times

Since our story, the power trusts have picked up, but not enough to make up for their lousy past performance.

Forbes

Trump had, by all traditional markers, a lousy debate performance, incoherent at times and far too quick to take offense.

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a situation objectively, use "poor performance" instead of "lousy performance" to maintain a professional tone.

Common error

Avoid using "lousy performance" in highly formal or academic writing. Opt for more sophisticated synonyms such as "subpar performance" or "inadequate execution" to maintain a professional tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "lousy performance" functions as a descriptor, combining the adjective "lousy" with the noun "performance" to express a negative evaluation. Ludwig confirms its usability in English, with examples from various reliable sources.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

80%

Formal & Business

15%

Science

5%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "lousy performance" is a phrase used to describe something that has performed poorly, according to Ludwig. While grammatically correct and commonly used, it leans towards the informal side. The phrase is most often found in news and media contexts. When more formality is needed, alternatives such as "poor performance" or "subpar performance" may be more appropriate. As highlighted by Ludwig, this assessment is based on a review of numerous examples from reliable sources.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

subpar performance

Replaces "lousy" with a more formal synonym, indicating a performance that is below the expected standard.

poor showing

Emphasizes the visible result of the performance rather than the quality of the effort itself.

weak performance

Focuses on the lack of strength or effectiveness in the performance.

deficient performance

Highlights a lack of necessary qualities or elements in the performance.

inadequate performance

Stresses that the performance does not meet the required level or standard.

inferior performance

Suggests that the performance is of lower quality compared to others.

disappointing performance

Highlights the feeling of dissatisfaction caused by the performance.

unsatisfactory performance

Indicates that the performance failed to meet expectations or requirements.

dismal showing

Adds a sense of gloom or hopelessness to the poor result.

abysmal performance

Emphasizes the extreme depth of the poor performance.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "lousy performance" to sound more professional?

Consider using terms like "poor performance", "subpar performance", or "unsatisfactory performance" to maintain a formal tone.

Is "lousy performance" appropriate for formal writing?

While grammatically correct, "lousy performance" is generally considered informal. It's best to use more professional alternatives like "weak performance" or "deficient performance" in formal contexts.

What's the difference between "lousy performance" and "poor performance"?

"Lousy performance" carries a more negative and informal connotation than "poor performance". The latter is a more neutral and widely acceptable term in various contexts.

Can "lousy performance" be used to describe a person's work?

Yes, "lousy performance" can describe a person's work, but it is often better to use a more constructive term, such as "inadequate performance", especially when providing feedback.