low·er-class
ˌlō-ər-ˈklas 
1
: of, relating to, or characteristic of the lower class
2
: being an inferior or low-ranking specimen of its kind
a lower-class theater
: a social class occupying a position below the middle class and having the lowest status in a society
Examples of lower-class in a Sentence
Adjective
they were finally earning enough to get out of the lower-class tax bracket
Noun
a member of the lower class
Recent Examples on the Web
Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 2 June 2026
Researchers and cannabis dispensary owners shared their excitement for possible changes after the Justice Department reclassified medical marijuana to a lower class Thursday.
—Tara Lynch, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026
The lower classes and the clergy had always hated the Castilians, and the Portuguese aristocracy and the commercial classes—previously content with the patronage and the economic opportunities that the union with Spain had provided—had become dissatisfied during the preceding 20 years.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
The enrollment declines, paired with the funding cushion, has also helped public schools lower class sizes in accordance with a new state law.
—Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 23 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lower-class
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Noun
But for the most part, the Nuggets have watched this issue take hold of the league from a safe distance, perched above the lower class of the league’s perpetual pursuit of the next superstar.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 2 June 2026
Researchers and cannabis dispensary owners shared their excitement for possible changes after the Justice Department reclassified medical marijuana to a lower class Thursday.
—Tara Lynch, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026
The lower classes and the clergy had always hated the Castilians, and the Portuguese aristocracy and the commercial classes—previously content with the patronage and the economic opportunities that the union with Spain had provided—had become dissatisfied during the preceding 20 years.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
The enrollment declines, paired with the funding cushion, has also helped public schools lower class sizes in accordance with a new state law.
—Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 23 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lower-class
Cite this Entry
“Lower-class.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lower-class. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
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