as in subordinate
one who is of lower rank and typically under the authority of another
she is nice to her inferiors as well as to her superiors
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in lower
situated lower down
creatures that inhabit the dark, inferior depths of the ocean
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2
as in minor
of little or less value or merit
a girl who has always felt inferior to her older sister
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3
as in low
belonging to the class of people of low social or economic rank
at one time, the upper crust liked to believe that inferior people were fit only to be servants
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4
as in unacceptable
falling short of a standard
an inferior science textbook that was out-of-date the day that it was published
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5
as in lesser
having not so great importance or rank as another
an inferior officer cannot strike a superior under any circumstances
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6
as in poor
of low quality
inferior chocolate candy that no serious chocolate lover would think of eating
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of inferior
Lisa Deaderick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Mar. 2026
Matt Richardson, CBS News, 21 Apr. 2026
These were dramatically inferior seats.
—Christopher Elliott, Mercury News, 17 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for inferior
Noun
That comes to the Philippines in the form of war, as well as through the invocation, or establishment, of American-style modes of government and education that place Filipinos along this racial hierarchy, identifying them as these inferiors that need to be taught how to govern themselves.
—Lisa Deaderick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Mar. 2026
Adjective
In these three scenarios, then, the money market account is inferior in two of them, while the returns will be identical for the shorter, 3-month option.
—Matt Richardson, CBS News, 21 Apr. 2026
These were dramatically inferior seats.
—Christopher Elliott, Mercury News, 17 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for inferior
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inferior
Noun
-
Over the years, Braunwald continued his work, his brusque manner occasionally rubbing his subordinates and colleagues the wrong way.—
Lawrence K. Altman,
STAT,
7 May 2026
-
More recently, The Star reported that Graves was named in court documents as part of a lawsuit against the Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners alleging Stacey Graves made rude gestures and remarks towards a subordinate before she was named chief.—
Ben Wheeler
April 29,
Kansas City Star,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
And ultimately, the Supreme Court overruled those lower court rulings and did declare the embryos as children qualifying under the wrongful death statute.—
Dana Taylor,
USA TODAY,
1 Mar. 2024
-
Lower gas demand amid increasing supply has led to lower pump prices.—
Frank Witsil,
Detroit Free Press,
19 June 2023
Adjective
-
After seeking out a nearby fishmonger and calculating what this ingredient would cost me (a precious $30 per pound), I was left with a minor headache.—
Nina Moskowitz,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
10 May 2026
-
Richards opened the season in Philadelphia’s minor-league system, made nine appearances at the Triple-A level, was called up to the parent club on April 30 and pitched twice for the Phillies before he was traded to the Sox on Tuesday.—
Jeff Vorva,
Chicago Tribune,
9 May 2026
Adjective
-
Cloudflare projected revenue of $664 million to $665 million for the second quarter, which was lower than the $666 million Wall Street anticipated.—
Queenie Wong,
Los Angeles Times,
8 May 2026
-
That is why trust in public health is at an all-time low.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
8 May 2026
Adjective
-
For a city in the grip of a housing crisis, that delay was unacceptable.—
Michelle de la Uz,
New York Daily News,
13 May 2026
-
Bans on unacceptable-risk AI have applied since February 2025, according to the European Commission.—
Chas Newkey-Burden,
TheWeek,
11 May 2026
Adjective
-
Even lesser-scale incidents like the Varsity Blues college admissions scandal and the Volkswagen emissions scandal erode trust in the institutions that help make our society possible and push it forward.—
Lindsey Witmer Collins,
Forbes.com,
7 Aug. 2025
-
Toronto’s Fred VanVleet appears to be the top target, but Miami’s Kyle Lowry, Utah’s Mike Conley and, perhaps to a lesser extent, Charlotte’s Terry Rozier have been linked to the team at various points.—
Staff Writer
Follow,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Feb. 2023
Adjective
-
Harper opened a small dance studio, on Forty-sixth Street; business was poor until Bradley was hired and revamped Delroy’s act.—
Brian Seibert,
New Yorker,
13 May 2026
-
Still vehicle electronics can be damaged from reverse polarity, poor or wrong connection points or voltage spikes from improper equipment.—
Hartford Courant,
Hartford Courant,
12 May 2026
Adjective
-
The mean travel time to work is about 24 minutes.—
Paula Wethington,
CBS News,
8 May 2026
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Those struggles, and the fact Foden’s existing deal was due to expire next summer, mean City have had to essentially make a big decision without all the facts.—
Sam Lee,
New York Times,
6 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Inferior.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inferior. Accessed 15 May. 2026.
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