Underkänd

Underkänd is a Swedish adjective used to describe something that has not met the required standard or approval. It is most commonly used in education to label a student’s work or an examination as not passing. When a course or exam is underkänd, the student typically cannot receive a passing grade and may be required to retake the assessment, redo parts of the coursework, or complete a supplementary examination. The specific procedures and consequences vary by institution and level of study.

In practice, underkänd can apply to individual assignments, tests, or entire courses. The term signals that the result does not meet the criteria set by teachers or examiners. It is up to the educational institution to decide how to handle the outcome, which may include remediation options, resubmission opportunities, or repeated attempts.

The word is also used outside education to describe products, processes, or documents that fail to meet specified standards or regulatory requirements. In quality control or compliance contexts, something deemed underkänd is typically rejected or sent back for revision.

Etymology and usage notes: underkänd is formed from under- meaning below or not up to standard, and känd, historically related to recognition or acceptance in this context. In everyday language it is often contrasted with godkänd (passed/approved) and with icke godkänd (not approved). For synonyms, speakers may use notations such as “inte godkänd.”