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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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an inferior science textbook that was out-of-date the day that it was published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
Allison Palmer, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Apr. 2026
They were normally injured, inferior and underachieving.
—Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 8 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
Pregnant women from the second trimester onward should also avoid it, as the growing uterus can compress the inferior vena cava.
—Allison Palmer, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Apr. 2026
They were normally injured, inferior and underachieving.
—Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 8 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for inferior
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inferior
Noun
-
The labor secretary had been the subject of multiple controversies—accused of abusing her power, having an affair with a subordinate, and drinking on the job.—
Emma Hinchliffe,
Fortune,
21 Apr. 2026
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Those messages were uncovered as part of a broader investigation of Chavez-DeRamer’s leadership that began after the New York Post reported in January that a complaint filed with the Labor Department’s inspector general accused Chavez-DeRemer of a relationship with the subordinate.—
Seung Min Kim,
Los Angeles Times,
20 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
-
There could be minor flooding in low-lying and poor drainage areas, periods of heavy rain and thunderstorms, and urban and small stream flooding.—
Brandon Downs,
CBS News,
11 Apr. 2026
-
There is at least some truth that social media use may cause a minor rise in dopamine levels, but not in a way that resembles drugs or qualifies as addiction.—
William Proctor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
11 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
But just who is getting hurt from charging low prices?—
Stephen Moore,
Boston Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Isaacman is well suited for leading the space agency during the rise of the commercial space industry, with its large potential profits and much lower launch costs because of reusable rockets.—
Thomas Black,
Mercury News,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Ultimately, this will mean more encampments, more preventable deaths in the streets, and more individuals and families with no other option but to live in unsafe and unacceptable conditions.—
Dean Fioresi,
CBS News,
22 Apr. 2026
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Not ready for prime time Amazon’s Prime Video losing its feed in overtime of the Charlotte Hornets-Miami Heat play-in game was unacceptable for a streaming network that deems itself big time.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
19 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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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
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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
-
The Braves couldn’t overcome a poor start from Reynaldo López and saw their six-game winning streak fall by the wayside in an 11-4 loss to the Nationals on Tuesday at Nationals Park.—
Chad Bishop,
AJC.com,
22 Apr. 2026
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In the days leading up to his fatal overdose, Prince was in poor health and was forced to cancel shows in Atlanta.—
Alex Gurley,
PEOPLE,
21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Of course, the first three, the meanest comments of the bunch, are all solidly directed at women.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Hey, don’t be mean to that chicken!—
AJ Willingham,
AJC.com,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Inferior.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inferior. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
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