low quality

You can use it as an adjective before a noun. For example, low quality food. You can also use it after a verb like is. For example, "This video is low quality." It works for physical objects, digital files, and even abstract ideas like work performance. It is a very versatile tool for your vocabulary.

Use it when you are shopping and see something flimsy. Use it when a movie has terrible special effects. It is perfect for online reviews. If a hotel bed is uncomfortable, tell your friends it was low quality. In the office, use it to describe a draft that needs more work. It is honest but clear.

Be careful using it to describe a person's character. It sounds very insulting and cold. Avoid using it for expensive things that you just don't like. If a diamond ring is ugly, it is still high quality material. Don't use it for food that tastes bad but is fresh. Use tasteless instead. Also, don't say it to a chef's face unless you want a fight!

In modern consumer culture, we are obsessed with quality. The phrase became very common with the rise of mass production. In the digital age, we use it for grainy photos or slow internet videos. It often implies that something was made quickly just to make money. It carries a sense of "you get what you pay for."

You might hear people say poor quality or substandard. In slang, people might say something is cheap or trashy. If you want to be more formal, use inferior. However, low quality remains the most common and balanced choice. It is the "Goldilocks" of descriptions—not too formal, not too rude.