LOWER-CLASS Synonyms: 44 Similar and Opposite Words

lower-class

adjective

ˌlō-ər-ˈklas

Definition of lower-class

as in low

belonging to the class of people of low social or economic rank they were finally earning enough to get out of the lower-class tax bracket

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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 lower-class The franchise centers around a dystopian nation called Panem, where rich and authoritarian leaders force twelve lower-class districts to submit two children to fight in a deadly, and televised, battle every year. — Nicholas Rice, PEOPLE, 11 July 2026 In recent years, more and more students from lower-class families have been able to attend universities. — The Atlantic, 16 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for lower-class

Adjective

Wall Street looked past geopolitics even as oil prices climbed on the back of lower-than-expected inflation figures that sent tech stocks higher.

— Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 15 July 2026
The results were consistent across most states lower rates of sleep insufficiency were associated with longer life expectancy.

— Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 15 July 2026

Definition of low

Adjective

Linen and cotton, cooling garments, were too plebeian; the people posed nobly for street-style social-media accounts in leather jackets and low-slung jorts.

— Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 27 June 2026
This one is about a regular old guy, a hedge knight in the plebeian population of Westeros, just trying to get by in a world that isn't kind to the common and poor.

— Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 13 Jan. 2026

Definition of plebeian

Adjective

But West Virginia is a proletarian locale that until not long ago was a Democratic stronghold.

— Mark Leibovich, The Atlantic, 11 Feb. 2026
These ranged from the aristocratic elite who dominated the military and bureaucracy and yearned for a return to monarchy, to communists who sought proletarian rule, to the National Socialists who wanted to establish a right-wing dictatorship.

— Time, Time, 23 Oct. 2025

Definition of proletarian

Adjective

Prolonged exposure to heat can lead to insufficient or poor sleep, compromising the immune system, increasing the risk for cardiovascular disease and diminishing cognitive performance.

— Adriana Pérez, Chicago Tribune, 13 July 2026
On top of this, subterranean drip systems often clog with mineral deposits, sediment, and algae, which Nad warns may eventually require repairs or replacement of portions of the system, particularly in areas with hard water or poor filtration.

— Kamron Sanders, The Spruce, 13 July 2026

Definition of poor

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lower

lower-class

lowered

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“Lower-class.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lower-class. Accessed 18 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of lower-class

adjective

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