sub·or·di·nate
sə-ˈbȯr-də-nət 
-ˈbȯrd-nət
1
: placed in or occupying a lower class, rank, or position : inferior
a subordinate officer
2
: submissive to or controlled by authority
3
a
: of, relating to, or constituting a clause that functions as a noun, adjective, or adverb
b
subordinately
adverb
subordinateness
noun
sub·or·di·nate
sə-ˈbȯr-də-nət
-ˈbȯrd-nət
: one who stands in order or rank below another : one that is subordinate
sub·or·di·nate
sə-ˈbȯr-də-ˌnāt
subordinated; subordinating
1
: to make subject or subservient
2
: to treat as of less value or importance
stylist … whose crystalline prose subordinates content to form—
Susan Heath
Susan Heath
Synonyms
Examples of subordinate in a Sentence
Adjective
About two-thirds of the way through, this nonsense comes to life for fifteen minutes when the point of view shifts to that of a subordinate character, an aging thug (well played by Laurence Fishburne) who is employed by the casino to spot card counters.
—Richard Alleva, Commonweal, May 9, 2008
A reporter's right to protect a source is a subordinate matter that obfuscates the more important issue of violating journalistic integrity and responsibility when one becomes an agent, if not a pawn, of a mean-spirited and vindictive retaliation scheme.
—Jon Duffey, Editor & Publisher, 13 Oct. 2003
She was thirty-three, furiously frustrated with her subordinate role in the studio—attending to the model's hair, makeup, and clothes—and chronically dissatisfied with her own pictures, which represented a different kind of woman's work.
—Judith Thurman, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2003
his contention is that environment plays a subordinate role to heredity in determining what we become
Noun
Case in point: the dismissal of advertising chief Julie Roehm, accused of having an affair with a subordinate (also fired) and taking freebies from an advertising agency (also fired) in violation of company policies.
—Bill Saporito, Time, 12 Nov. 2007
He ran an extremely unhappy headquarters. He tended to berate subordinates, frequently shouting and cursing at them.
—Thomas E. Ricks, Fiasco, 2006
She also found it impossible to give negative feedback. As a consequence, her work and that of her subordinates started to suffer, and she was missing deadlines.
—Steven Berglas, Harvard Business Review, June 2002
She leaves the day-to-day running of the firm to her subordinates.
subordinates do most of the actual creation of the famous designer's clothing designs
Verb
Clinton administration Trade Representative Mickey Kantor declared: "The days when we could afford to subordinate our economic interests to foreign policy or defense concerns are long past."
—Lawrence F. Kaplan, New Republic, 18 Mar. 2002
The real reason, though, is that art survives life, and this unpalatable realization lies behind the lumpen desire to subordinate the former to the latter. The finite always mistakes the permanent for the infinite and nurtures designs upon it.
—Joseph Brodsky, Times Literary Supplement, 26 Oct. 1990
it is one of the lessons of history that more powerful civilizations often subordinate weaker ones
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Richard Alleva, Commonweal, May 9, 2008
A reporter's right to protect a source is a subordinate matter that obfuscates the more important issue of violating journalistic integrity and responsibility when one becomes an agent, if not a pawn, of a mean-spirited and vindictive retaliation scheme.
—Jon Duffey, Editor & Publisher, 13 Oct. 2003
She was thirty-three, furiously frustrated with her subordinate role in the studio—attending to the model's hair, makeup, and clothes—and chronically dissatisfied with her own pictures, which represented a different kind of woman's work.
—Judith Thurman, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2003
his contention is that environment plays a subordinate role to heredity in determining what we become
Noun
Case in point: the dismissal of advertising chief Julie Roehm, accused of having an affair with a subordinate (also fired) and taking freebies from an advertising agency (also fired) in violation of company policies.
—Bill Saporito, Time, 12 Nov. 2007
He ran an extremely unhappy headquarters. He tended to berate subordinates, frequently shouting and cursing at them.
—Thomas E. Ricks, Fiasco, 2006
She also found it impossible to give negative feedback. As a consequence, her work and that of her subordinates started to suffer, and she was missing deadlines.
—Steven Berglas, Harvard Business Review, June 2002
She leaves the day-to-day running of the firm to her subordinates.
subordinates do most of the actual creation of the famous designer's clothing designs
Verb
Clinton administration Trade Representative Mickey Kantor declared: "The days when we could afford to subordinate our economic interests to foreign policy or defense concerns are long past."
—Lawrence F. Kaplan, New Republic, 18 Mar. 2002
The real reason, though, is that art survives life, and this unpalatable realization lies behind the lumpen desire to subordinate the former to the latter. The finite always mistakes the permanent for the infinite and nurtures designs upon it.
—Joseph Brodsky, Times Literary Supplement, 26 Oct. 1990
it is one of the lessons of history that more powerful civilizations often subordinate weaker ones
See More
Recent Examples on the WebTom Vanden Brook, USA TODAY, 17 Aug. 2023
All the rest — development, the economy, society, and culture — were subordinate and must bend to the needs of security and survival.
—Ronen Bergman, New York Times, 12 Oct. 2023
Sadler is the spokesperson for 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, based out of Cherry Point, N.C.
The squadron is a subordinate unit based at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort in South Carolina.
—Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Aug. 2023
Rollins attended the fundraiser featuring First Lady Jill Biden in Andover, Massachusetts, on July 14, 2022, after being driven in a government vehicle by a subordinate employee in her office, according to the report from Michael Horowitz, the Justice Department inspector general.
—Bart Jansen, USA TODAY, 17 May 2023
Although legally subordinate to the PLO, with powers limited to the West Bank and Gaza, the PA swiftly became the center of gravity in the Palestinian political system.
—Ghaith Al-Omari, Foreign Affairs, 16 May 2023
For Gilman, the life of an artist was always subordinate to the work.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2023
The Anchorage Central Labor Council is a subordinate organization of the Alaska AFL-CIO.
—Zachariah Hughes, Anchorage Daily News, 16 Sep. 2023
The city police are subordinate to the city mayor, the airport police to the federal government—both being at irreconcilable odds with each other.
—Karen Naundorf, WIRED, 13 Sep. 2023
Libor Jany, Los Angeles Times, 9 Aug. 2023
So Brown dialed a subordinate’s number at one o’clock in the morning.
—Bysheryl Estrada, Fortune, 19 Sep. 2023
The stars in question were Mitch Kessler, a Matt Lauer type played by Steve Carell, whose charm and celebrity enabled him to prey on — and professionally sideline — female subordinates.
—Lili Loofbourow, Washington Post, 13 Sep. 2023
The show that used to be about the misery of lowly subordinates has turned into one about executive alliances.
—Lili Loofbourow, Washington Post, 13 Sep. 2023
Top Navy commanders pressured subordinates to sail even when the crews and ships were not fully prepared to go to sea.
—Joaquin Sapien, ProPublica, 7 Sep. 2023
The complaint includes accusations of multiple other instances where Bronson and other subordinates attempted to circumvent Demboski in order to pursue actions that violated municipal code.
—Zachariah Hughes, Anchorage Daily News, 7 Sep. 2023
In his business career, as a candidate and as president, Mr. Trump has frequently plucked subordinates from trouble or obscurity and given them a lifeline — and, by extension, a sense of obligation to him.
—Ben Protess, New York Times, 30 July 2023
The former network chief, who was forced out after failing to disclose a romantic relationship with a CNN subordinate and for committing ethical breaches in the newsgathering process, likely will fail in any bid to take back the network.
—Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 25 July 2023
Justin Davidson, Curbed, 9 Nov. 2023
But Smotrich has subordinated the military governor of the West Bank to himself and appointed a civilian deputy governor responsible for the Israeli settlers.
—Martin Indyk, Foreign Affairs, 2 Oct. 2023
Giving and receiving feedback is a two-way street and should never just be from manager to subordinate.
—Austin Speck, Forbes, 14 Apr. 2022
The reason is that each would require leading states to subordinate their own sovereignty.
—Henry A. Kissinger, Foreign Affairs, 13 Oct. 2023
As for the short-term future of Wagner, Blank believes that Russian military commanders will take over the positions of Prigozhin and Utkin and attempt to subordinate them to the Russian Army.
—Brady Knox, Washington Examiner, 2 Sep. 2023
But the religious and spiritual elements are almost entirely absent, Jewish practice subordinated to its social side—family pride and the photo ops to enshrine it.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 23 Aug. 2023
But that logic has failed to win over powerful administration figures — especially on the National Security Council — who maintain that nothing should be subordinated to limiting China’s might.
—Peter S. Goodman Ulet Ifansasti, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2023
Treating replies as equal as opposed to subordinate somehow just allows for a very different and much more broad range of public conversations.
—Alex Heath, The Verge, 5 July 2023
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Adjective
The governor of Utah on Thursday fired the head of the state's National Guard after a two-year Pentagon investigation concluded that Maj. Gen. Michael Turley had had an inappropriate relationship with a subordinate soldier, according to sources familiar with the investigation.
—Tom Vanden Brook, USA TODAY, 17 Aug. 2023
All the rest — development, the economy, society, and culture — were subordinate and must bend to the needs of security and survival.
—Ronen Bergman, New York Times, 12 Oct. 2023
Sadler is the spokesperson for 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, based out of Cherry Point, N.C.
The squadron is a subordinate unit based at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort in South Carolina.
—Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Aug. 2023
Rollins attended the fundraiser featuring First Lady Jill Biden in Andover, Massachusetts, on July 14, 2022, after being driven in a government vehicle by a subordinate employee in her office, according to the report from Michael Horowitz, the Justice Department inspector general.
—Bart Jansen, USA TODAY, 17 May 2023
Although legally subordinate to the PLO, with powers limited to the West Bank and Gaza, the PA swiftly became the center of gravity in the Palestinian political system.
—Ghaith Al-Omari, Foreign Affairs, 16 May 2023
For Gilman, the life of an artist was always subordinate to the work.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2023
The Anchorage Central Labor Council is a subordinate organization of the Alaska AFL-CIO.
—Zachariah Hughes, Anchorage Daily News, 16 Sep. 2023
The city police are subordinate to the city mayor, the airport police to the federal government—both being at irreconcilable odds with each other.
—Karen Naundorf, WIRED, 13 Sep. 2023
Noun
Nicole Mehringer was caught drunk in an unmarked police car with a male subordinate with whom she was romantically involved, her actions drew a rare public rebuke from the chief of police.
—Libor Jany, Los Angeles Times, 9 Aug. 2023
So Brown dialed a subordinate’s number at one o’clock in the morning.
—Bysheryl Estrada, Fortune, 19 Sep. 2023
The stars in question were Mitch Kessler, a Matt Lauer type played by Steve Carell, whose charm and celebrity enabled him to prey on — and professionally sideline — female subordinates.
—Lili Loofbourow, Washington Post, 13 Sep. 2023
The show that used to be about the misery of lowly subordinates has turned into one about executive alliances.
—Lili Loofbourow, Washington Post, 13 Sep. 2023
Top Navy commanders pressured subordinates to sail even when the crews and ships were not fully prepared to go to sea.
—Joaquin Sapien, ProPublica, 7 Sep. 2023
The complaint includes accusations of multiple other instances where Bronson and other subordinates attempted to circumvent Demboski in order to pursue actions that violated municipal code.
—Zachariah Hughes, Anchorage Daily News, 7 Sep. 2023
In his business career, as a candidate and as president, Mr. Trump has frequently plucked subordinates from trouble or obscurity and given them a lifeline — and, by extension, a sense of obligation to him.
—Ben Protess, New York Times, 30 July 2023
The former network chief, who was forced out after failing to disclose a romantic relationship with a CNN subordinate and for committing ethical breaches in the newsgathering process, likely will fail in any bid to take back the network.
—Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 25 July 2023
Verb
In India, Modi and the BJP have espoused the ideology known as Hindutva, a version of Indian national identity that subordinates the subcontinent’s ethnic and religious diversity into a narrative of Hindu supremacy.
—Justin Davidson, Curbed, 9 Nov. 2023
But Smotrich has subordinated the military governor of the West Bank to himself and appointed a civilian deputy governor responsible for the Israeli settlers.
—Martin Indyk, Foreign Affairs, 2 Oct. 2023
Giving and receiving feedback is a two-way street and should never just be from manager to subordinate.
—Austin Speck, Forbes, 14 Apr. 2022
The reason is that each would require leading states to subordinate their own sovereignty.
—Henry A. Kissinger, Foreign Affairs, 13 Oct. 2023
As for the short-term future of Wagner, Blank believes that Russian military commanders will take over the positions of Prigozhin and Utkin and attempt to subordinate them to the Russian Army.
—Brady Knox, Washington Examiner, 2 Sep. 2023
But the religious and spiritual elements are almost entirely absent, Jewish practice subordinated to its social side—family pride and the photo ops to enshrine it.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 23 Aug. 2023
But that logic has failed to win over powerful administration figures — especially on the National Security Council — who maintain that nothing should be subordinated to limiting China’s might.
—Peter S. Goodman Ulet Ifansasti, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2023
Treating replies as equal as opposed to subordinate somehow just allows for a very different and much more broad range of public conversations.
—Alex Heath, The Verge, 5 July 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'subordinate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Adjective and Noun
Middle English subordinat, from Medieval Latin subordinatus, past participle of subordinare to subordinate, from Latin sub- + ordinare to order — more at ordain
Verb
Medieval Latin subordinatus — see subordinate entry 1
First Known Use
Adjective
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Noun
1640, in the meaning defined above
Verb
1597, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of subordinate was
in the 15th century
Phrases Containing subordinate
Dictionary Entries Near subordinate
Cite this Entry
“Subordinate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/subordinate. Accessed 1 Dec. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
subordinate
1 of 3 adjective
sub·or·di·nate
sə-ˈbȯrd-ᵊn-ət
-ˈbȯrd-nət
1
: placed in or occupying a lower class or rank
a subordinate officer
2
: yielding to or controlled by authority
3
a
: of, relating to, or being a clause that functions as a noun, adjective, or adverb
b
subordinately
adverb
subordinateness
noun
subordinate
2 of 3 noun
: one that is subordinate
subordinate
3 of 3 verb
sub·or·di·nate
sə-ˈbȯrd-ᵊn-ˌāt
subordinated; subordinating
: to make subordinate
Legal Definition
subordinate
1 of 2 adjective
sub·or·di·nate
sə-ˈbȯrd-ᵊn-ət
1
: placed in or occupying a lower rank, class, or position
2
: submissive to or controlled by authority
subordinate
2 of 2 transitive verb
sub·or·di·nate
sə-ˈbȯrd-ᵊn-ˌāt
subordinated; subordinating
: to assign lower priority to (as a debt or creditor) : postpone satisfaction of until after satisfaction of another
the equitable assignee will be subordinated to the rights of the assignor's trustee in bankruptcy—J. D. Calamari and J. M. Perillo
J. D. Calamari and J. M. Perillo
More from Merriam-Webster on subordinate
Nglish: Translation of subordinate for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of subordinate for Arabic Speakers
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