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
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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an inferior science textbook that was out-of-date the day that it was published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
Angelica Ang,
Fortune,
9 June 2026
This has encouraged debates on the extent to which metajournalism is different from—or even inferior to—existing practices of journalism.
—
Steve Paulussen,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
28 May 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
Consumers previously wrote off Chinese goods as inferior, as Chinese manufacturers prioritized quick market entry over original designs.
—
Angelica Ang,
Fortune,
9 June 2026
This has encouraged debates on the extent to which metajournalism is different from—or even inferior to—existing practices of journalism.
—
Steve Paulussen,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for inferior
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inferior
Noun
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In April 2025, Vaden allegedly received an anonymous letter at her home bearing the Elk Grove Police Department’s return address that discussed Davis’ relationship with the subordinate.
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In theory, a ceasefire would see the central government reassert more direct control of their subordinates, although concerns about assassinations might discourage them for rebuilding their electronic command and control systems, making that more difficult.
Adjective
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And ultimately, the Supreme Court overruled those lower court rulings and did declare the embryos as children qualifying under the wrongful death statute.
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Lower gas demand amid increasing supply has led to lower pump prices.
Adjective
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Messi had been dealing with a minor hamstring injury with Inter Miami that slowed him in the lead-up to the World Cup.
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Nearly four-fifths of respondents said that gas prices present some sort of strain, with 34% categorizing it as a major strain and 44% calling it a minor strain.
Adjective
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Hien immediately fell to the ground and had to be helped off the pitch with what appeared to be a lower-body injury.
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Wenski’s remarks come as many in South Florida, the heart of the Haitian community in the country, are reeling after the justices reversed a lower court ruling upholding TPS protections for Haitians.
Adjective
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If scar tissue is too severe, if prior surgeries have left the blood supply compromised, or if a patient's goals aren't achievable without unacceptable risk, proceeding could cause irreversible damage.
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Yes, Stokes’ late night out, in the context of what went on before, was unacceptable.
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.
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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.
Adjective
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Rebecca Lowe joins Dan Patrick to discuss some of the top storylines around the World Cup, including Cristiano Ronaldo's poor play to start, the United States' potential and more.
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Will the gap between rural and urban America – and the gap between rich and poor America – decline or grow?
Adjective
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The movement, with an 80-hour power reserve and a frequency of 4 Hz, is also home to a perpetual calendar and an equation of time display, showing the difference between mean solar time, shown on the main dial, and true solar time, which fluctuates due to the Earth’s elliptical orbit.
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Piña then says that Joe and Angela are mean to each other.
Cite this Entry
“Inferior.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inferior. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
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