as in lesser
having not so great importance or rank as another
his contention is that environment plays a subordinate role to heredity in determining what we become
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in underling
one who is of lower rank and typically under the authority of another
subordinates do most of the actual creation of the famous designer's clothing designs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to subject
to bring under one's control by force of arms
it is one of the lessons of history that more powerful civilizations often subordinate weaker ones
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of subordinate
Literary Hub, 23 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
Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 6 Feb. 2026
Such feuds with subordinates are one of the challenges McFadden faces in his third run for sheriff.
—Ryan Oehrli, Charlotte Observer, 29 Jan. 2026
Arie Perliger, The Conversation, 12 Dec. 2025
The past two generations of health care have been about gradual socialization of medicine, which has subordinated both patients and doctors to faceless bureaucrats and insurers.
—Kim-Lien Nguyen, Boston Herald, 29 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for subordinate
Adjective
Yasuda ordered his subordinate, Lieutenant Colonel Tatsusaburo Suzuki, to prepare a report on the feasibility of a uranium project in Japan.
—Literary Hub, 23 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
Noun
In 2024, Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas left Wasserman Music for WME shortly after a Daily Mail report alleged Wasserman had engaged in inappropriate relationships with multiple female subordinates.
—Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 6 Feb. 2026
Such feuds with subordinates are one of the challenges McFadden faces in his third run for sheriff.
—Ryan Oehrli, Charlotte Observer, 29 Jan. 2026
Verb
Similarly, plans to subordinate the West Bank Border Police to Ben-Gvir’s Ministry of National Security threaten to dismantle the unified command structure that has been instrumental in managing tensions in the occupied West Bank since 1967.
—Arie Perliger, The Conversation, 12 Dec. 2025
The past two generations of health care have been about gradual socialization of medicine, which has subordinated both patients and doctors to faceless bureaucrats and insurers.
—Kim-Lien Nguyen, Boston Herald, 29 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for subordinate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subordinate
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
Noun
-
That’s striking, considering that execs tend to be far more enthusiastic about the tech compared to their underlings.—
Frank Landymore,
Futurism,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Despite the scary Instagram post, gang leader Lamar Williams was still convicted this month of a 2013 murder in the Bronx, and the two underlings accused of trying to keep him out of prison could wind up joining him.—
Leonard Greene,
New York Daily News,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
There is a real concern that what remains of the system may seek revenge for these events, targeting prisoners and political activists who are still outside prison, detaining them, and subjecting them to executions or severe punishments.—
Cora Engelbrecht,
New Yorker,
1 Mar. 2026
-
In a nutshell, wastewater recycling works by first physically filtering the water, then subjecting it to reverse osmosis, and finally purifying it with ultraviolet light.—
Frank Landymore,
Futurism,
25 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Gu attended the museum’s second annual fundraiser, Le Grand Dîner du Louvre, timed to Paris Fashion Week, trading out her ski suit for couture less than two weeks after taking home three medals at the 2026 Winter Games.—
Jacqui Palumbo,
CNN Money,
5 Mar. 2026
-
A lot of folks could likely get by with less storage, but Touch ID is pretty much an essential quality-of-life feature that Apple should've included with the base model.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Carlsbad Girls basketball The 5-foot-11 junior scored 17 points, collected nine rebounds and blocked three shots to lead the Lancers past Imperial 54-50 in the section Division 1 championship game.—
Steve Brand,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
3 Mar. 2026
-
The junior had fallen in the finals of the Div.—
Jack Murray,
Boston Herald,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
But Miami negated that deficit by dominating in the paint and at the foul line.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
6 Mar. 2026
-
The Iran strikes have understandably been dominating recent social media posts.—
Tamara Hardingham-Gill,
CNN Money,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Even so, the reaction of the market has been relatively subdued, said David Butter, an energy expert on the Middle East at the Chatham House think tank.—
Nabih Bulos,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2026
-
Video from the scene shows a security detail member being taken to the ground as officers worked to subdue the suspects.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
6 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
Cite this Entry
“Subordinate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subordinate. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.
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