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an inferior science textbook that was out-of-date the day that it was published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
Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 27 May 2026
Why read them if my learning will always be seen as inferior and secondary, not just in other people’s eyes but in my own as well?
—Literary Hub, 26 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
Joseph maintained she was retaliated against by the athletic department for complaining about the inferior treatment of her team and the coaching staff.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 27 May 2026
Why read them if my learning will always be seen as inferior and secondary, not just in other people’s eyes but in my own as well?
—Literary Hub, 26 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for inferior
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inferior
Noun
-
Another maintenance officer months later reported Brady to the Massachusetts State Ethics Commission for having subordinates perform work at his private residence.—
Rick Sobey,
Boston Herald,
10 June 2026
-
Landau quickly implemented a strict hierarchy at the agency, requiring subordinates to work up a chain of command before contacting her — an about-face from Frolich’s collaborative approach, attorneys said.—
Shelly Bradbury,
Denver Post,
27 May 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
-
Earlier in the year, Edwards dealt with a minor setback, which forced him to miss a handful of games early on.—
Justin Grasso,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Dec. 2025
-
For those who had been convicted in the past, the data doesn't distinguish between minor offenses and violent crimes.—
Meredith Kile,
PEOPLE,
8 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
When camping in an open environment, select a campsite in a valley, ravine, or low region.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
12 June 2026
-
Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch noted their dissent and would have granted the state’s request to overturn the lower courts.—
Abigail Brooks,
NBC news,
12 June 2026
Adjective
-
The third strand of anti-vaccine advocacy, that compelling vaccine use is unacceptable, is a philosophical claim, not one of fact.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
-
Allowing the status quo to remain is simply unacceptable.—
Catherine Blakespear,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 June 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
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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
-
If poor flowering persists year after year, consider planting a different variety of tomatoes that better suits your climate.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
16 June 2026
-
The only question now is how much of the public's time and money the Mayor is willing to waste to obscure the numerous poor decisions her administration and the County have made for decades.—
Manuel Bojorquez,
CBS News,
16 June 2026
Adjective
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His mean zingers, on the other hand, sound like his own work.—
Helen Lewis,
The Atlantic,
11 June 2026
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Teams like Haiti, Jordan and Curacao provide pillowy cushions in otherwise mean-spirited, competitive groups.—
Filip Bondy,
New York Daily News,
10 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Inferior.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inferior. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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