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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in lower
situated lower down
creatures that inhabit the dark, inferior depths of the ocean
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in minor
of little or less value or merit
a girl who has always felt inferior to her older sister
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in unacceptable
falling short of a standard
an inferior science textbook that was out-of-date the day that it was published
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in lesser
having not so great importance or rank as another
an inferior officer cannot strike a superior under any circumstances
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in poor
of low quality
inferior chocolate candy that no serious chocolate lover would think of eating
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Marianne Pizzitola, New York Daily News, 14 July 2025
The bolder value vision is in using new AI capabilities to solve long-standing inefficiencies or problems that may have been targeted before, albeit with inferior technology.
—Beena Ammanath, Forbes.com, 8 July 2025
These people could have competed in XY sports competitions before Title IX, but no team would have them because of their inferior strength compared to the average XY person.
—Naperville Sun, Chicago Tribune, 13 June 2025
Early on, Pitt’s Sonny Hayes makes intentional contact with other cars and the barriers to purposely bring out the safety car to help teammate Joshua Pearce, played by Damson Idris, get the inferior APXGP car closer to the pack on restarts.
—Maury Brown, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for inferior
Adjective
Instead of allowing senior citizens and disabled first-responders choose the plan that was right for them — and the vast majority have chosen traditional Medicare — de Blasio forced every one of them into an inferior Medicare Advantage plan run by a for-profit insurance company.
—Marianne Pizzitola, New York Daily News, 14 July 2025
The bolder value vision is in using new AI capabilities to solve long-standing inefficiencies or problems that may have been targeted before, albeit with inferior technology.
—Beena Ammanath, Forbes.com, 8 July 2025
These people could have competed in XY sports competitions before Title IX, but no team would have them because of their inferior strength compared to the average XY person.
—Naperville Sun, Chicago Tribune, 13 June 2025
Early on, Pitt’s Sonny Hayes makes intentional contact with other cars and the barriers to purposely bring out the safety car to help teammate Joshua Pearce, played by Damson Idris, get the inferior APXGP car closer to the pack on restarts.
—Maury Brown, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for inferior
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inferior
Noun
-
Former Pflugerville Police Chief Jason O’Malley pointed a gun at a subordinate inside a police building this year, according to a third-party investigation that spurred O'Malley and two commanders to exit the force.—
Dante Motley,
Austin American Statesman,
31 July 2025
-
Why this is happening is clear from a radio intercept about a similar incident, shared with CNN, in which a Russian commander can clearly be heard ordering a subordinate be tied up in this way as punishment for desertion.—
Andrew Carey,
CNN Money,
28 July 2025
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
Adjective
-
The elderly man suffered minor injuries, and toughed out the blow, refusing medical attention at the scene of the attack, authorities said.—
Nicholas Williams,
New York Daily News,
7 Aug. 2025
-
In April, the government quietly revoked the visas of thousands of students who had allegedly committed minor legal infractions before abruptly reversing the policy.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
7 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The brand recommends starting on the lowest intensity level and adjusting as needed.—
Conçetta Ciarlo,
Vogue,
8 Aug. 2025
-
Already, two-thirds of people live in a country with birth rates too low to sustain their populations over time.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Just totally unacceptable and mind-blowing for that kind of mistake.—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
13 Aug. 2025
-
The critiques have only intensified with each year that passes since the team’s last Super Bowl victory in 1996, with Jones calling the drought unacceptable at the NFL owners meeting earlier this year.—
Lawrence Dow,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
13 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
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
-
The story of 2022 (and 2021 to a lesser extent) was energy.—
Nicole Goodkind,
CNN,
31 Jan. 2023
Adjective
-
This implies a poor Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 52.5% (vs. 19.4% for S&P 500).—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
16 Aug. 2025
-
The general manager, making a rare road trip, told reporters that his presence had more to do with his scheduling availability than the Yankees’ third-place standing or their poor play over the past two-plus months.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
16 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
There aren’t many actors, after all, who can convincingly play both sad-sack real estate salesman Shelly Levene in a Broadway production of Glengarry Glen Ross and a lean, mean killing machine.—
Frank Scheck,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Aug. 2025
-
The researchers recruited 68 adults, with a mean age of 64, who had confirmed medial knee OA.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
12 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Inferior.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inferior. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share