subprime

adjective

sub·​prime ˈsəb-ˌprīm How to pronounce subprime (audio)
1
: having or being an interest rate that is higher than a prime rate and is extended chiefly to a borrower who has a poor credit rating or is judged to be a potentially high risk for default (as due to low income)
subprime mortgages
a subprime loan
2
: extending or obtaining a subprime loan
subprime lenders
subprime borrowers

Examples of subprime in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Ackman’s misfires, though, have been offset by some prescient investments in the face of black swan events like the subprime mortgage crisis and COVID, cementing his reputation as one of the shrewdest and most daring risk-takers on Wall Street. — Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 20 July 2026 That puts Capital One more at risk as the company's book has more exposure to subprime borrowers. — Morgan Chittum, CNBC, 20 July 2026 That reflects a long-running slowdown in home construction driven by rising expenses from materials and labor as well as changes in local zoning and permitting rules and lingering scars from the 2008 subprime mortgage collapse. — Samantha Delouya, CNN Money, 17 July 2026 In this earnings cycle, the critical metric to watch is the divergence between banks catering to affluent consumers (like JPMorgan Chase) versus those with higher exposure to subprime or near-prime borrowers (like Capital One or Discover). — Mayra Rodriguez Valladares, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for subprime

Word History

First Known Use

1995, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of subprime was in 1995

Rhymes for subprime

See All Rhymes for subprime

Browse Nearby Words

subprimate
subprime
subprincipal
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Subprime.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/subprime. Accessed 1 Aug. 2026.

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Legal Definition

subprime

adjective
sub·​prime ˈsəb-ˌprīm How to pronounce subprime (audio)
1
: having or being an interest rate that is higher than a prime rate and is extended especially to low-income borrowers
subprime mortgages
2
: extending or obtaining a subprime loan
subprime lenders
subprime borrowers

More from Merriam-Webster on subprime

Nglish: Translation of subprime for Spanish Speakers

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