Synonyms for inferior
- adjective
- noun
Most common
Synonyms by meaning
Adjective
1. Second-rate — lower in rank, status, or quality. Of low rank, standard or quality
second-rate, sub-standard, bad, poor, cheap, second-class, third-rate, shoddy, low-grade, indifferent, low, low-quality, wretched, puny, inadequate, common, mean, lower, crummy informal, incompetent, base, ordinary AU NZ
Noun
1. Subordinate — A person of lower rank, stature, or ability to another
subordinate, subservient, underling, lackey, subject, tributary, stooge, minion, henchman, myrmidon
Other
subscript
Definitions
- adj. 1
Lower in rank, status, or quality. Of low rank, standard or quality.
She detests visiting inferior places.
- n. 1
A person of lower rank, stature, or ability to another.
As you are my inferior, I can tell you to do anything I want.
Related words
Forms
- Plural
- inferiors → subordinates, subservients, underlings, lackeys…
Example sentences
- cheap It is cheap, but on the other hand it is not good.
- lesser I really have to choose the lesser of two evils.
- anterior The head, expanding from the neck, contracts to a bluntly pointed anterior end.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| inferior | steady | |
| cheap | rising | |
| lesser | falling |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 3 letters
- bad1, low1
- 4 letters
- mean1, less1, poor1, base1, puny2
- 5 letters
- lower2, cheap1
- 6 letters
- common2, lesser2, shoddy2, minion2, lackey2, stooge1, crummy2
- 7 letters
- subject2
- 8 letters
- ordinary4, anterior4, wretched2, henchman2, myrmidon3
- 9 letters
- deficient3, tributary4, underling3, subscript
- 10 letters
- inadequate4
- 11 letters
- incompetent4, subordinate4, indifferent3, subservient4
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (puny2 = 2 syllables).