Synonyms of inferior

inferior 1 of 2

noun

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

• subordinate
• junior
• underling
• minion
• henchman
• assistant
• sidekick
• follower
• domestic
• steward
• attendant
• second
• deputy
• aid
• menial
• adjutant
• aide
• retainer
• lackey
• mate
• second fiddle
• flunkey
• coadjutor
• flunky
• flunkie
• helpmate
• helpmeet

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• superior
• master
• leader
• chief
• head
• boss
• captain
• foreman
• senior
• headman
• helmsman
• kingpin
• taskmaster

inferior

2 of 2

adjective

in-ˈfir-ē-ər 

1

as in lower

situated lower down

creatures that inhabit the dark, inferior depths of the ocean

Synonyms & Similar Words

• lower
• lowest
• nether
• underlying
• nethermost

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• higher
• superior
• upper
• highest
• uppermost
• overhead
• overhanging

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

• minor
• mean
• smaller
• secondary
• second-class
• lesser
• second-rate
• lower
• subordinate
• ordinary
• inadequate
• petty
• defective
• unsatisfactory
• average
• low-level
• middling
• insufficient
• junior
• under
• deficient
• wrong
• unacceptable
• common
• bad
• amiss
• slighter
• fair
• littler
• low-rent
• jerkwater
• one-horse
• small-time
• two-bit

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• higher
• superior
• greater
• more
• major
• primary
• senior
• prime
• first-class
• exceptional
• adequate
• sufficient
• acceptable
• select
• choice
• high-grade
• premium
• selected
• first-rate

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

• low
• plebeian
• lower-class
• lowly
• ignoble
• humble
• poor
• proletarian
• vulgar
• common
• unwashed
• lumpen
• low-life
• mean
• lowborn
• prole
• baseborn
• bourgeois
• middle-class
• plain
• simple
• working-class
• downscale
• déclassé
• down-market

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• high
• great
• aristocratic
• noble
• upper-class
• lofty
• gentle
• grand
• genteel
• patrician
• upper-crust
• eminent
• prominent
• highbred
• notable
• illustrious
• wellborn
• highborn
• blue-blooded

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an inferior science textbook that was out-of-date the day that it was published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

• unacceptable
• poor
• wrong
• lame
• deficient
• bad
• flawed
• substandard
• terrible
• pathetic
• awful
• horrible
• unsatisfactory
• disastrous
• wretched
• subpar
• suboptimal
• crummy
• bastard
• lacking
• brutal
• dreadful
• lousy
• inadequate
• defective
• sour
• from hunger
• ill
• dissatisfactory
• wanting
• off
• paltry
• bush
• crumby
• lesser
• useless
• rotten
• worthless
• under par
• bush-league
• punk
• wack
• insufficient
• miserable
• below par
• abysmal
• gross
• short
• faulty
• mediocre
• detestable
• deplorable
• atrocious
• damnable
• vile
• second-rate
• common
• execrable
• unspeakable
• shoddy
• low-grade
• abominable
• crappy
• horrendous
• stinky
• valueless
• egregious
• odious
• low-rent
• sucky
• flagrant
• reprehensible
• coarse
• gnarly
• bum
• meager
• trashy
• cheesy
• scanty
• meagre
• miserly
• rubbishy
• shabby
• skimpy
• bitchin'
• stingy
• cut-rate
• villainous
• sleazy
• counterfeit
• mean
• junky
• fake
• phoney
• spare
• niggardly
• phony
• scurrilous
• sham
• miscreant
• skimp

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• adequate
• standard
• satisfactory
• acceptable
• superior
• fine
• decent
• okay
• all right
• respectable
• tolerable
• classical
• passable
• excellent
• better
• great
• OK
• classic
• divine
• perfect
• prime
• special
• top
• splendid
• first-class
• noble
• superb
• superlative
• sufficient
• wonderful
• mean
• premium
• heavenly
• stellar
• terrific
• choice
• marvellous
• sensational
• exceptional
• marvelous
• grand
• average
• par excellence
• unsurpassed
• fabulous
• neat
• banner
• high-grade
• slick
• sterling
• swell
• fancy
• capital
• mediocre
• A1
• keen
• dandy
• boss
• minimal
• nifty
• borderline
• suitable
• worthy
• fair
• first-rate
• useful
• middling
• top-notch
• supernal
• high-test
• groovy
• tip-top
• crackerjack
• bang-up
• unexceptional
• satisfying
• jim-dandy
• gratifying
• so-so

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

• lesser
• less
• smaller
• lower
• subordinate
• small
• junior
• minor
• secondary
• petty
• second-class
• little
• auxiliary
• second-rate
• associate
• subsidiary
• mean
• jerkwater
• one-horse
• two-bit
• minute

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• more
• higher
• superior
• greater
• major
• primary
• prime
• senior
• superordinate
• exceptional
• first-class
• first-rate
• choice

6

as in poor

of low quality

inferior chocolate candy that no serious chocolate lover would think of eating

Synonyms & Similar Words

• poor
• terrible
• cheap
• bad
• rotten
• coarse
• common
• worthless
• mediocre
• useless
• wretched
• second-rate
• shoddy
• low-grade
• miserable
• crappy
• low-rent
• lousy
• rubbishy
• execrable
• counterfeit
• bum
• trashy
• gimcrack
• cheesy
• junky
• fake
• cut-rate
• sleazy
• schlocky
• cheapjack
• shlocky
• bargain-basement
• valueless
• trumpery
• shlock
• schlock
• second-class
• indifferent
• lackluster
• el cheapo
• meretricious
• showy
• gaudy
• tawdry
• garish
• ostentatious
• swanky
• shabby
• flashy
• kitschy
• tacky
• glitzy
• swank
• kitsch
• sham
• phoney
• seedy
• phony
• splashy
• brummagem
• ultracheap
• supercheap

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• superior
• excellent
• good
• fine
• first-class
• high-grade
• elegant
• handsome
• first-rate
• tasteful
• top-notch
• polished
• refined
• handcrafted

Examples of inferior in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Officials from the Guardia di Finanza said the sophisticated counterfeit operation bottled inferior wine from Sicily in a warehouse near Milan, with meticulously reproduced labeling and cases that came from Bulgaria. —Jack Guy, CNN, 16 Oct. 2024

The lower-end model would cost about $2,000 and probably use an inferior processor and cheaper materials. —David Phelan, Forbes, 14 Oct. 2024

In the longer term, even obtaining the ultimate deterrent would not necessarily safeguard the regime against enemies at home and abroad, who will continue to exploit its inferior intelligence, weakness in conventional weapons, failing economy, and eroding legitimacy. —Ali Vaez, Foreign Affairs, 11 Oct. 2024

Many people with authoritarian personalities endorse a hierarchy in which some groups are inferior to others. —Michael McDevitt, The Mercury News, 4 Oct. 2024