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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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an inferior science textbook that was out-of-date the day that it was published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
Chris Snellgrove, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Oct. 2025
Indeed, allowing men but not women to have multiple spouses is clearly unequal and entwined with patriarchal ideology that positions women as subordinate or inferior to men.
—David W. Lawson, The Conversation, 21 Oct. 2025
Over time, Buffett has always said gold is inferior as a long-term investment.
—Alex Crippen, CNBC, 18 Oct. 2025
An inferior pass rush impacts that.
—Cam Inman, Mercury News, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inferior
Adjective
That's one child experiencing death by a thousand cuts with these inferior sequels.
—Chris Snellgrove, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Oct. 2025
Indeed, allowing men but not women to have multiple spouses is clearly unequal and entwined with patriarchal ideology that positions women as subordinate or inferior to men.
—David W. Lawson, The Conversation, 21 Oct. 2025
Over time, Buffett has always said gold is inferior as a long-term investment.
—Alex Crippen, CNBC, 18 Oct. 2025
An inferior pass rush impacts that.
—Cam Inman, Mercury News, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inferior
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inferior
Noun
-
Many politicians should, but won’t, learn worthwhile lessons about the value of public deference and praise of subordinates who work every day on the front lines.—
Arthur I. Cyr,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Jan. 2026
-
Cook was reportedly allowed to quietly resign in 2020 by Hogsett after an inappropriate relationship with a subordinate came to light.—
Hayleigh Colombo,
IndyStar,
16 Dec. 2025
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
-
The most minor miscalculation can botch a landing.—
Marcus Thompson II,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Its versatile uses range from nourishing the lips to minor wound care—helping maintain hydration along the way.—
Kathleen Baird-Murray,
Vogue,
6 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The research team highlighted that beyond water harvesting, these coatings could help reduce urban heat island effects, lower energy needs for air-conditioning and provide climate-resilient water sources in regions facing growing heat and water stress.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Nov. 2025
-
When camping in an open environment, select a campsite in a valley, ravine, or low region.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
9 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Not making payments to them for even another day is simply unacceptable.—
Katherine Faulders,
ABC News,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Hufanga deemed that first-quarter Jeanty touchdown unacceptable because any touchdown is unacceptable at this point to Denver’s defense.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
7 Nov. 2025
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
-
Flooding may occur in poor drainage and urban areas.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Jan. 2026
-
In recent games, KU’s communication has been pretty poor on defense and that’s led to players taking (and too often missing) wide-open 3-pointers.—
Shreyas Laddha,
Kansas City Star,
10 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Not because the moms themselves are toxic people, but because the dynamic shifts into an ugly place with mean-girl behavior.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
PEOPLE,
10 Jan. 2026
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Back in their teenage years, Lexi’s older sister Andrea is depicted as a mean girl who ridicules Catherine mercilessly.—
Sam Reed,
Glamour,
9 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Inferior.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inferior. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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