poorer than expected

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "poorer than expected" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when discussing financial outcomes or performance that did not meet anticipated levels. Example: "The company's quarterly earnings report revealed that profits were poorer than expected, leading to a decline in stock prices."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

27 human-written examples

The results of this study suggested a survival benefit for patients receiving early treatment with methotrexate and 5FU LV (MFL), but there were methodological issues: only 57% of patients randomised to expectant treatment received chemotherapy; chemotherapy was not standardised; outcomes were poorer than expected in the expectant treatment group; and no formal QoL analyses were published.

British Journal of Cancer

Europe's largest maker of video games, Eidos P.L.C., warned that this year's results would be well below expectations because of product delays and Christmas sales that were poorer than expected.

The New York Times

Ian Browne Czech Republic did exactly as expected finishing last in a poorer than expected group and being comprehensively outplayed in all three group games.

The Guardian - Sport

Walden added that poorer than expected trading at Argos in the first half of the year had also contributed to the profit warning.

The Guardian - Business

The company's stock is off by 42 percent so far this year, partly because of a poorer than expected reception for a game called "Star Wars: The Old Republic".

The New York Times

The retailer said annual profits were likely to be poorer than expected as it had ploughed millions of pounds into a multimedia advertising campaign and taken on hundreds more vans to back a new delivery service before Black Friday, which falls on 27 November this year, but could not be sure how shoppers would respond.

The Guardian - Business

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

33 human-written examples

Don't let any educational shortcomings discount you – you don't need to broadcast a failed module or year, or poorer marks than expected.

The Guardian

If a particular site is identified by the SCOTS team as having a potentially poorer outcome than expected, a letter will be sent from the Chief Investigator to the Principal Investigator and the Medical Director covering that site.

BMJ Open

Attempting to transfer cassettes using a boombox or portable stereo to play the cassettes may result in recordings of poorer quality than expected.

WikiHow

Similar to what we found for the epitope-rich regions, only 153 sequences in HIV-1 had a larger fraction of epitope-poor regions than expected, most of which occurred in VPU (135×).

BMC Evolutionary Biology

Also, 53.3% of patients in this study had health insurance, indicating that the availability of health insurance for the poor is higher than expected.

ClinicoEconomics and Outcomes Research

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider the audience and the level of formality required. While acceptable in many contexts, more formal settings might benefit from alternatives like "below expectations" or "underperformed".

Common error

Avoid simply stating results were "poorer than expected" without providing any supporting data or reasons. This can leave the audience confused and without a clear understanding of the situation. Explain why the results were poorer than anticipated.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "poorer than expected" functions as a comparative adjective phrase, modifying a noun (often implied) to indicate that something is of a lower quality or standard than was anticipated. Ludwig AI indicates its validity for use in writing. Examples in Ludwig show it modifying "outcomes", "sales", and "performance."

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

38%

News & Media

38%

Formal & Business

13%

Less common in

Wiki

8%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "poorer than expected" is a grammatically sound and usable comparative phrase, as confirmed by Ludwig AI, used to describe outcomes that fall short of anticipations. Predominantly found in Science, News & Media, and Formal & Business contexts, it serves to express disappointment or surprise at underperformance. While the phrase is valid, always provide context to justify the "poorer" result, which will help the audience to clearly understand the comparison you are making. Consider alternative phrasings, such as "below expectations" or "underperformed", depending on the specific context and desired level of formality.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

below expectations

Focuses on not reaching a set benchmark or standard.

underperformed

Emphasizes the failure to achieve the anticipated level of performance.

disappointing results

Highlights the letdown associated with the outcome.

fell short of projections

Specifically refers to not meeting previously established forecasts.

worse than anticipated

Uses a direct comparison to indicate a negative deviation from expectations.

failed to deliver

Highlights a failure to produce the expected results or outcomes.

not up to par

Suggests a level of performance that is below the acceptable standard.

substandard outcome

Focuses on the quality of the result being lower than what was needed.

deficient performance

Implies a lack of necessary qualities or abilities in the performance.

less successful than predicted

Highlights the prediction not being accurate enough regarding outcomes.

FAQs

How can I use "poorer than expected" in a sentence?

You can use "poorer than expected" to describe a situation where the outcome is less favorable than initially anticipated. For example, "The company's quarterly earnings were "poorer than expected" due to unforeseen market conditions."

What are some alternatives to "poorer than expected"?

Some alternatives to "poorer than expected" include "below expectations", "underperformed", or "disappointing results". The best choice depends on the specific context.

Is it grammatically correct to say "poorer than expected"?

Yes, it is grammatically correct. The phrase "poorer than expected" is a valid comparative statement used to describe something that is less satisfactory or of lower quality than what was anticipated.

What's the difference between "worse than expected" and "poorer than expected"?

While both phrases indicate a negative outcome, "worse than expected" is broader and can apply to various situations. "Poorer than expected" typically refers to financial performance, quality, or resources being less favorable than anticipated.