inferior 1 of 2

noun

Definition of inferiornext
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

inferior

2 of 2

adjective

in-ˈfir-ē-ər How to pronounce inferior (audio)
1
as in lower
situated lower down creatures that inhabit the dark, inferior depths of the ocean

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2
as in minor
of little or less value or merit a girl who has always felt inferior to her older sister

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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

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4
as in unacceptable
falling short of a standard an inferior science textbook that was out-of-date the day that it was published

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5
as in lesser
having not so great importance or rank as another an inferior officer cannot strike a superior under any circumstances

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6
as in poor
of low quality inferior chocolate candy that no serious chocolate lover would think of eating

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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 inferior
Noun
That comes to the Philippines in the form of war, as well as through the invocation, or establishment, of American-style modes of government and education that place Filipinos along this racial hierarchy, identifying them as these inferiors that need to be taught how to govern themselves. — Lisa Deaderick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Mar. 2026
Adjective
That makes for a more compelling value proposition, useful in daily life, versus a more specialized machine with inferior performance. — Matthew Buzzi, PC Magazine, 14 June 2026 More broadly, the idea that White players are inherently inferior no longer matches reality. — Bobby Burack Outkick, FOXNews.com, 2 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for inferior
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inferior
  1. subordinate
  2. lower
  3. minor
  4. low
  5. unacceptable
  6. lesser
  7. poor
  8. mean
Noun
  • Mayor Dean Trantalis, Commissioner Steven Glassman and Commissioner John Herbst took issue with her leadership, accusing her of being dismissive to subordinates and ruffling too many feathers.
    — Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 3 July 2026
  • Put simply, the theory says the president should be able to issue orders to subordinates and to fire them at will.
    — Graham G. Dodds, The Conversation, 30 June 2026
Definition of subordinate
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
Definition of lower
Adjective
  • Three other people in the vehicle, including a 6-month-old, had minor injuries, the report said.
    — Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 3 July 2026
  • The adult and child had minor to moderate injuries and were taken to the hospital, the fire department said.
    — Jose Fabian, CBS News, 2 July 2026
Definition of minor
Adjective
  • The funeral, which ends Thursday, was supposed to be a period of lower tensions.
    — Jon Gambrell, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
  • Locally heavy rain will quickly reduce visibility and result in ponding of water on roadways, standing water in low lying areas, and minor flooding of creeks, streams, and areas of poor drainage.
    — NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 8 July 2026
Definition of low
Adjective
  • In their grievance letter, the detainees called the markups an unacceptable business practice with no apparent limit.
    — Andrea Castillo, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
  • Overt racial prejudice, long considered socially unacceptable, is increasingly visible in public life, marking a shift from previously subtle forms.
    — Maia Niguel Hoskin, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
Definition of unacceptable
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
Definition of lesser
Adjective
  • Overflowing poor drainage areas in urban areas of northwest Hickory and in the Northlakes area of Caldwell County.
    — NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 7 July 2026
  • There was a lot of poor decision-making with this match, on and off the pitch.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026
Definition of poor
Adjective
  • All this whining about online hate and fans being mean and blah, blah, blah.
    — Zach Dean OutKick, FOXNews.com, 6 July 2026
  • This doesn’t relate to AI replacing jobs, but rather, an increase in the number of enterprise launches accomplished in a leaner-and-meaner fashion than ever before.
    — Joe McKendrick, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026
Definition of mean

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inferior
inferiority
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Cite this Entry

“Inferior.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inferior. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of inferior for Spanish Speakers

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