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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in unacceptable
falling short of a standard
an inferior science textbook that was out-of-date the day that it was published
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in lesser
having not so great importance or rank as another
an inferior officer cannot strike a superior under any circumstances
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in poor
of low quality
inferior chocolate candy that no serious chocolate lover would think of eating
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of inferior
Mark Oppenheimer, Vulture, 25 Feb. 2026
Baldwin thought embracing gay identity as a minority status meant confirming the majority’s view of homosexuality as inferior.
—Literary Hub, 24 Feb. 2026
Compared to their Champions League performances, where Spurs have shown levels of control throughout the league phase, against admittedly inferior opposition, Tottenham have inexplicably wavered between turgid and chaotic.
—Elias Burke, New York Times, 24 Feb. 2026
And one way to try to defend your inferior offer is to try to attack ours, instead of just making a superior offer yourself.
—Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 21 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for inferior
Adjective
Yet the novel has its strengths, ignored by its critics and, presumably, by its millions of readers, who flocked to the sexy stuff, the inferior pastiche of Erica Jong, Jacqueline Susann, or Anne Roiphe.
—Mark Oppenheimer, Vulture, 25 Feb. 2026
Baldwin thought embracing gay identity as a minority status meant confirming the majority’s view of homosexuality as inferior.
—Literary Hub, 24 Feb. 2026
Compared to their Champions League performances, where Spurs have shown levels of control throughout the league phase, against admittedly inferior opposition, Tottenham have inexplicably wavered between turgid and chaotic.
—Elias Burke, New York Times, 24 Feb. 2026
And one way to try to defend your inferior offer is to try to attack ours, instead of just making a superior offer yourself.
—Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 21 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for inferior
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inferior
Noun
-
Analysts say the campaign is also a way for Xi, who is in his 14th year in power, to remove potential rivals and ensure absolute loyalty among his subordinates.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 Mar. 2026
-
Li Gang / Xinhua News Agency / AP Analysts say the campaign is also a way for Xi, who is in his 14th year in power, to remove potential rivals and ensure absolute loyalty among his subordinates.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
7 Mar. 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
-
Left-hander Marco Gonzales, a veteran coming back from flexor tendon surgery and in camp on a minor-league deal, followed with another three scoreless innings.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Mar. 2026
-
This will be the period when the threat of severe weather is highest, with large hail, damaging winds and minor flooding as the main concerns throughout the afternoon.—
Mary Wasson,
Austin American Statesman,
7 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Kelly Clarkson Home Valentin Striped Indoor/Outdoor Area Rug Powerloomed for durability, this low-pile rug works well both outdoors on a patio or indoors in high-traffic areas like mudrooms.—
Shea Simmons,
Southern Living,
6 Mar. 2026
-
ValenSil serves as a microcosm of a broader shift in the US labor market to a low-hire, low-fire environment that is likely to be highlighted when the February jobs report is released Friday morning.—
Alicia Wallace,
CNN Money,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Anti-American and antisemitic rhetoric should be categorically unacceptable in any venue.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
3 Mar. 2026
-
When direct conflict carries unacceptable escalation risk, sustained pressure below the threshold of force offers states a way to bend the will of a rival nation without triggering open war.—
Andrew Latham,
The Conversation,
3 Mar. 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
-
City officials say the long-term leases make buying Liberty Station a poor investment for any potential buyer other than Seligman.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Further, according to the paper, when supply tightens, richer nations outbid poorer ones for scarce shipments, exacerbating challenges for vulnerable economies.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
One sister’s adult son and daughter have always been mean to me.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Washington Post,
6 Mar. 2026
-
By 1997, there was another TV remake with Brandy starring as Cinderella for a new generation, with Bernadette Peters as her mean stepmother and Whitney Houston as the fairy godmother.—
Philip Potempa,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Inferior.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inferior. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
