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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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an inferior science textbook that was out-of-date the day that it was published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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Meanwhile, our lobby hero has other problems, not the least of which is his boss, who not only dislikes his subordinates sleeping on the job but is caught up with law-enforcement problems of his own.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Feb. 2025
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Adrienne Gang Photo: Bravo/Justin Stephens/Bravo Chief Stew Below Deck Season 1 — The franchise’s initial chief stew had such a bad attitude that none of her subordinates would listen to her and were always talking back.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
31 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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Dad Drank Too Many 'Tall Boys,' Then Passed Out on His Baby Daughter, Causing 'Horrific' Suffocation While none of the suspects were injured during the incident, one officer from the Clovis Police Department was treated and released for a minor injury to their hand, the press release explained.—
Ingrid Vasquez,
People.com,
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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The study also found that some commercial assessments from my office were too low.—
Fritz Kaegi,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Feb. 2025
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The chances of a human being bitten by a shark are incredibly low, according to the International Shark Attack File.—
Katie Hunt,
CNN,
11 Feb. 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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This initiative helped avert potential global famines and boosted incomes for poor farmers, particularly in Asia.—
A.J. Russo,
Baltimore Sun,
17 Feb. 2025
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But shortly after its release, AT&T dropped the device’s price down to just $0.99 in what was an unmistakable sign of poor sales – and perhaps an indication that consumers didn’t want more Facebook on their phone other than in its app.—
Lisa Eadicicco,
CNN,
17 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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This spot features a housemade limoncello and a mean happy hour from Monday to Thursday from 3 p.m to 6 p.m., including a $5 house cabernet and chardonnay, $4.50 domestic beers and $7 bites.—
Ella Gonzales,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 Feb. 2025
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Guests arrive to a warm welcome from innkeeper Todd Schwartz, who lives upstairs, drives a 1967 Lincoln Continental, and stirs a mean Martini.—
Jenny Adams,
AFAR Media,
11 Feb. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Inferior.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inferior. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
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