superior 1 of 2

adjective

su̇-ˈpir-ē-ər How to pronounce superior (audio)
Definition of superiornext
1
as in arrogant
having a feeling of superiority that shows itself in an overbearing attitude that superior sportscaster lets it be known that he thinks all foreign baseball teams are second-rate

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2
as in proud
having or displaying feelings of scorn for what is regarded as beneath oneself the superior attitude of the store owner's son drove the other employees crazy

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3
as in excellent
of the very best kind a five-star restaurant known for its superior wine list

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4
as in outstanding
standing above others in rank, importance, or achievement a university known for attracting superior scientists and mathematicians

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superior

2 of 2

noun

as in boss
one who is above another in rank, station, or office if a customer is rude to you, report it to your superior and she'll handle it

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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 superior
Adjective
Despite their superior claims, India’s requests to return the stone have fallen on deaf ears. — Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 17 Aug. 2026 That other teams can't hope to compete with their superior talent. — Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 17 Aug. 2026
Noun
So Parker telephoned the base posing as the doctor of Adams’ supposedly ailing mother and talked the young soldier’s superiors into issuing an emergency furlough. — Dan Kelly july 28, Kansas City Star, 28 July 2026 Trying to burn down the entire rest of the ecosystem might profit the SEC or Big Ten and their television superiors in the short run, maybe even the long run. — Jason Kirk, New York Times, 24 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for superior
Recent Examples of Synonyms for superior
  1. arrogant
  2. proud
  3. excellent
  4. outstanding
  5. boss
  6. dominant
  7. smug
  8. superb
Adjective
  • As such, there is a tendency among such countries to view Europeans as arrogant and self-serving, perhaps even neo-colonialist, with a desire to at least maintain, or maybe even strengthen, their position of power.
    — Simon Chadwick, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026
  • James, Lord Dalhousie, the arrogant and ruthless Governor General of British India, who had long coveted the riches of Punjab and the Koh-i-Noor, was triumphant.
    — Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of arrogant
Adjective
  • This Queens bakery comes from two restaurant-industry veterans and proud Filipinos Kimberly Camara and Kevin Borja, who started a pop-up back in 2020 and quickly developed a cult following that demanded a brick-and-mortar.
    — Kyle Beechey, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Salesforce is proud to be an early investor, customer, and partner.
    — Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of proud
Adjective
  • Simashev is excellent defensively and on retrievals and tilts the ice in his favor.
    — Corey Pronman, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
  • As far as pop stars who happen to also be thoughtful and excellent songwriters go, Kahan is in the upper ranks.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of excellent
Adjective
  • His work there earned him a nomination for his first Primetime Emmy Award for outstanding guest actor in a drama series.
    — Victoria Edel, PEOPLE, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Logan Henderson, an outstanding rookie pitcher the Brewers chose to keep rather than including in a trade last month, outdueled Skubal in Sunday’s series finale at Los Angeles.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of outstanding
Noun
  • Palace are going to set up in the same 3-4-2-1 system under new boss Pierre Sage that predecessor Oliver Glasner used, albeit the style of play will be different, with quicker passing and wide combinations.
    — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • An omen of the future — The firing is an event worth paying attention to, says Andon Labs CEO Lukas Petersson, because if AI keeps getting better at its current rate, more of us might be managed by AI bosses in the near future.
    — Billy Perrigo, Time, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of boss
Adjective
  • The biggest takeaway from the Ravens’ dominant win over the Eagles was impressive showings from Baltimore’s rookie pass catchers.
    — Jeff Zrebiec, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Summary Claressa Shields captured the WBC and WBA middleweight titles with a dominant sixth-round TKO victory over Kaye Scott in Atlanta.
    — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of dominant
Adjective
  • Historian Sandgruber describes how Alois Hitler wrote his 1895 letters in a deeply smug, anti-clerical manner that overestimated his abilities.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 June 2026
  • Li at times plays Cola with a smug impetuousness that belies her naivety about this world to a satisfying degree.
    — Sabrina Reed, Forbes.com, 17 June 2026
Definition of smug
Adjective
  • Malgorzata Szumowska, Michal Englert) Aimee Lou Wood and Johnny Flynn are superb as Anna and Fyodor Dostoevsky in Małgorzata Szumowska and Michał Englert’s acerbic and joyful period film.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Segovia produced a superb spin before firing into the far corner.
    — Dean Jones, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of superb

Browse Nearby Words

superintends
superior
superiority
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Cite this Entry

“Superior.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/superior. Accessed 20 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on superior

Nglish: Translation of superior for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about superior

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