Meaning
To be noticeably inadequate, disappointing, or below the standard expected, often expressed as restrained criticism rather than a blunt condemnation. Often sounds measured or formal, but the criticism can be severe. The verb changes normally with tense and subject, as in 'leaves' or 'left'. Regional use: General English.
Origin
The expression works through understatement: something unsatisfactory is said to leave a great deal still to be wished for before it would meet expectations. Modern dictionaries treat it as a fixed phrase and record interchangeable quantity words such as 'much', 'a lot', and 'a great deal'. No reliable source identifies a single inventor, event, or special anecdote behind it; its figurative sense follows directly from the ordinary meanings of 'leave' and 'desired'.
Research Sources
References used to check this entry’s meaning, history, or documented forms.
Variants
- Leave a great deal to be desired
- Leave a lot to be desired
- Leave something to be desired
- Leaves much to be desired
- Left much to be desired
Usage Examples
- The hotel's location was excellent, but the cleanliness left much to be desired.
- Her presentation was confident, although the supporting evidence left a lot to be desired.
- The first draft leaves much to be desired and will need a careful rewrite.