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
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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an inferior science textbook that was out-of-date the day that it was published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
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Recent Examples of inferior
Richard Olsen, Forbes, 26 Jan. 2025
His spin rates are below the MLB median across the board, so his breaking balls have been inferior to his split-finger for most of his career.
—Eno Sarris, The Athletic, 17 Jan. 2025
Note that the version on Peacock is the slightly inferior director’s cut, but still worth a look.
—Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 8 Jan. 2025
In one study, participants were asked to choose between two lotteries, one of which was clearly inferior in value.
—Dr. Sunita Sah, TIME, 4 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for inferior 
Adjective
The period’s stucco product, the common alternative to wood for exteriors, was inferior to today’s, carrying only a one-hour fire rating.
—Richard Olsen, Forbes, 26 Jan. 2025
His spin rates are below the MLB median across the board, so his breaking balls have been inferior to his split-finger for most of his career.
—Eno Sarris, The Athletic, 17 Jan. 2025
Note that the version on Peacock is the slightly inferior director’s cut, but still worth a look.
—Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 8 Jan. 2025
In one study, participants were asked to choose between two lotteries, one of which was clearly inferior in value.
—Dr. Sunita Sah, TIME, 4 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for inferior
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inferior
Noun
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These are directives issued by a president to subordinates in the executive branch, instructing them to undertake some activity or restricting them from doing so.—
Charlie Savage,
New York Times,
22 Jan. 2025
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While the Supreme Court ruled in a very broad decision last term that the President has absolute immunity for official actions, that ruling does not apply to his subordinates throughout the executive branch.—
Josh Hammer,
Newsweek,
24 Dec. 2024
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
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Lower gas demand amid increasing supply has led to lower pump prices.—
Frank Witsil,
Detroit Free Press,
19 June 2023
Adjective
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Activity does increase digestive activity in the body, which may alleviate minor gastrointestinal concerns.—
Nancy LeBrun,
Verywell Health,
7 Feb. 2025
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No civilians were injured, though four firefighters sustained minor injuries.—
Josh Ocampo,
New York Times,
7 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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In music, attenuation is comparable to damping a tone, which produces a lower volume, Deuss said.—
Mindy Weisberger,
CNN,
31 Jan. 2025
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Justin Sullivan | Getty Images The first Social Security benefit checks for 2025 include a 2.5% increase — the lowest annual cost-of-living adjustment since 2021.—
Lorie Konish,
CNBC,
31 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Nissan's board has decided that Honda’s terms for a merger are unacceptable, according to the Wall Street Journal.—
Anthony Robledo,
USA TODAY,
6 Feb. 2025
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White explained that the UFC had informed Mitchell that his comments were unacceptable.—
Sam Gillette,
People.com,
5 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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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
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The story of 2022 (and 2021 to a lesser extent) was energy.—
Nicole Goodkind,
CNN,
31 Jan. 2023
Adjective
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Lopetegui was eventually sacked on January 8, having failed to fix West Ham’s poor form.—
Roshane Thomas,
The Athletic,
5 Feb. 2025
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Though Osbourne had a farewell tour set to begin in 2023, he was forced to cancel the shows due to poor health.—
Rosa Rahimi,
CNN,
5 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Charisma Carpenter isn’t defending her Buffy the Vampire Slayer character’s mean spirit!—
Latoya Gayle,
People.com,
1 Feb. 2025
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According to the research, the mean return for repeat sale pairs of artworks last spring was almost zero, the lowest since 2000.—
George Nelson,
ARTnews.com,
31 Jan. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Inferior.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inferior. Accessed 13 Feb. 2025.
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