underkände

Underkände is the preterite form of the Swedish verb underkänna, meaning to disqualify, reject as insufficient, or deem something invalid. The term is used in formal and semi-formal contexts to indicate that a proposal, assessment, item, or decision did not meet required standards. The related adjective is underkänd, and the past participle form underkänt is used in compound constructions.

Grammatically, underkänna is a transitive verb; examples include “domstolen underkände bevisen” (the court disqualified the evidence) and “styrelsen underkände förslaget” (the board rejected the proposal). The passive or adjective forms include “underkänd” (disqualified, not approved) and the plural “underkända” for nouns referring to items or decisions that have failed to meet criteria, e.g., “underkända produkter” or “underkända bidrag.”

Common usage contexts include education, where a student’s work can be underkänd if it fails to meet requirements; in exams, a result may be described as underkänd, though “underkänd” is more typical in everyday language. In regulatory or procurement settings, bids or certificates can be underkända, and products may be deemed underkända after inspections or audits. The term carries a formal tone and is often encountered in official reports, decision notices, and quality-control processes.

See also: godkänna (to approve), avvisa (to reject), avslag (rejection). The concept of underkända denotes formal rejection or invalidation rather than merely informal dissatisfaction, and it is tied to criteria, standards, and procedural review.