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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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falling short of a standard an inferior science textbook that was out-of-date the day that it was published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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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
Even after years of inferior sequels and retreads, the pure adrenaline high of Die Hard remains inimitable. — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Aug. 2026 Advertisement Settling for hand sanitizer Hand sanitizer isn’t a lazy or inferior choice in every situation. — Angela Haupt, Time, 10 Aug. 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
  • The judge found that the three did, in fact, violate the charter, which states that council members may not interfere with appointments or removals in the city manager’s office, or give orders to the city manager’s subordinates.
    — Raisa Habersham, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2026
  • More broadly, struggling to name specific contributions by others even when specifically prompted to do so or remaining vague about developing subordinates are flags that the candidate may engage in toxic patterns.
    — Harvard Business Review, Harvard Business Review, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of subordinate
Adjective
  • Despite those lower court rulings, the practice has continued nationally, said Gregory Chen, the senior director of government relations for the Immigration Lawyers Association.
    — Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 3 Sep. 2025
  • 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
Definition of lower
Adjective
  • Other areas of concern are the library system's self-check-out kiosks, instances in which minor teenagers handle materials while working or volunteering at a branch, and platforms for loaning electronic materials, Adams said.
    — Joseph Flaherty, Arkansas Online, 28 Aug. 2026
  • His discipline could be minor compared to the hit on his reputation.
    — Jim Reineking, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of minor
Adjective
  • Bonnell Bonnell isn’t the first to come to the electric off-road motorcycle arena, but its strategy is to differentiate itself through integration, adjustability and relatively low weight rather than simply trying to win the horsepower spreadsheet.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 2 Sep. 2026
  • In a footnote to his dissent, Roberts wrote that the underground work on the project – which lower courts had allowed to proceed – addressed the government’s security concerns.
    — Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of low
Adjective
  • Carney has called that demand unacceptable and a question of Canadian sovereignty.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Custard said, for the public, all this adds up to unacceptable risk.
    — Yuki Noguchi, NPR, 20 Aug. 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
  • Dozens of companies have withdrawn over the past decades due to poor profits, an uncertain business outlook and concerns about harm to their reputations from making arms, especially lethal weapons.
    — Mia Osmonbekov, Fortune, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Along the way, the audience can expect tons of humiliation, terrible second prizes, and the guarantee that Robertson will turn at least one poor soul's wrong turn into several minutes of unhinged public destruction.
    — Rebecca Rosman, NPR, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of poor
Adjective
  • Line Islands corals show a similar mean increase but far wider scatter, which the researchers partly attribute to these records’ reliance on oxygen isotopes alone.
    — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 31 Aug. 2026
  • That’s what being mean to Heather is like and, so far this season, that is the only meal we’ve been served.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of mean

Browse Nearby Words

inferential
inferior
inferiority
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Cite this Entry

“Inferior.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inferior. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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