Inferior — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective noun /in-ˈfir-ē-ər/ in·fe·ri·or

Meaning & Definition of Inferior

Inferior (adjective)

  1. of little or less importance, value, or merit
  2. of low or lower degree or rank
  3. of poor quality, mediocre

Inferior (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. 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"

    similar: junior, subordinate, underling
    related: attendant, follower, retainer, domestic, menial, steward, flunky, henchman, lackey, minion, adjutant, aid, aide, assistant, coadjutor, deputy, second, second fiddle, helpmate, helpmeet, mate, sidekick
    opposite: senior, superior
    near: boss, captain, chief, foreman, head, headman, helmsman, kingpin, leader, master, taskmaster

Inferior (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. situated lower down

    "creatures that inhabit the dark, inferior depths of the ocean"

    similar: lower, nether
    related: lowest, nethermost, underlying
    opposite: higher, superior, upper
    near: highest, uppermost, overhanging, overhead

  2. of little or less value or merit

    "a girl who has always felt inferior to her older sister"

    similar: mean, minor, secondary, second-class, second-rate
    related: junior, lesser, lower, low-level, petty, smaller, subordinate, under, average, common, fair, middling, ordinary, amiss, bad, defective, unsatisfactory, wrong, deficient, inadequate, insufficient, unacceptable, littler, slighter, jerkwater, low-rent, one-horse, small-time, two-bit
    opposite: greater, higher, superior
    near: major, more, primary, senior, choice, exceptional, first-class, first-rate, high-grade, premium, prime, select, selected, acceptable, adequate, sufficient

  3. 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"

    similar: baseborn, common, humble, ignoble, low, low-life, lowborn, lower-class, lowly, lumpen, mean, plebeian, prole, proletarian, unwashed, vulgar
    related: bourgeois, middle-class, plain, poor, simple, working-class, déclassé, down-market, downscale
    opposite: aristocratic, blue-blooded, genteel, gentle, grand, great, high, highborn, highbred, lofty, noble, patrician, upper-class, upper-crust, wellborn
    near: eminent, illustrious, notable, prominent

  4. falling short of a standard

    "an inferior science textbook that was out-of-date the day that it was published"

    similar: bad, bastard, bush, bush-league, crummy, deficient, dissatisfactory, ill, lame, lousy, off, paltry, poor, punk, sour, suboptimal, subpar, substandard, unacceptable, unsatisfactory, wack (slang), wanting, wretched, wrong, below par, from hunger
    related: abysmal, atrocious, awful, bitchin' (slang), brutal, damnable, deplorable, detestable, disastrous, dreadful, execrable, gnarly (slang), horrendous, horrible, pathetic, stinky, sucky (slang), terrible, unspeakable, defective, faulty, flawed, egregious, flagrant, gross, bum, cheesy, coarse, common, crappy (slang), cut-rate, junky, lesser, low-grade, low-rent, mediocre, miserable, reprehensible, rotten, rubbishy, second-rate, shoddy, sleazy, trashy, abominable, odious, vile, useless, valueless, worthless, inadequate, insufficient, lacking, meager, mean, miserly, scanty, shabby, short, skimp, skimpy, spare, stingy, miscreant, scurrilous, villainous, counterfeit, fake, phony, sham
    opposite: acceptable, adequate, all right, decent, fine, OK, passable, respectable, satisfactory, standard, tolerable
    near: classic, classical, A1, bang-up, banner, boss (slang), capital, choice, crackerjack, dandy, divine, excellent, fabulous, first-class, first-rate, grand, great, groovy, heavenly, high-test, jim-dandy, keen, marvelous, mean, neat, nifty, noble, par excellence, perfect, premium, prime, sensational, slick, splendid, stellar, sterling, superb, superior, superlative, supernal, swell, terrific, tip-top, top, top-notch, unsurpassed, wonderful, better, exceptional, fancy, high-grade, special, sufficient, average, borderline, fair, mediocre, middling, minimal, so-so, unexceptional, suitable, useful, worthy, gratifying, satisfying

  5. having not so great importance or rank as another

    "an inferior officer cannot strike a superior under any circumstances"

    similar: junior, less, lesser, lower, minor, smaller, subordinate
    related: little, mean, small, minute, petty, jerkwater, one-horse, second-class, second-rate, two-bit, associate, auxiliary, secondary, subsidiary
    opposite: greater, higher, major, more, primary, prime, senior, superior, superordinate
    near: choice, exceptional, first-class, first-rate

  6. of low quality

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

    similar: bad, bargain-basement, bum, cheap, cheapjack, cheesy, coarse, common, crappy (slang), cut-rate, el cheapo, execrable, gimcrack, junky, lousy, low-grade, low-rent, mediocre, miserable, poor, rotten, rubbishy, schlock, second-rate, shoddy, sleazy, terrible, trashy, trumpery, wretched
    related: useless, valueless, worthless, indifferent, lackluster, second-class, brummagem, flashy, garish, gaudy, glitzy, kitsch, kitschy, meretricious, ostentatious, showy, splashy, swank, tawdry, seedy, shabby, tacky, counterfeit, fake, phony, sham, supercheap, ultracheap
    opposite: excellent, fine, first-class, first-rate, good, high-grade, superior, top-notch
    near: elegant, handsome, tasteful, handcrafted, polished, refined

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Inferior

The most common words with a similar meaning to Inferior:

Slang: wack, crappy
junior, subordinate, underling, lower, nether, mean, minor, secondary, second-class, second-rate, baseborn, common, humble, ignoble, low, low-life, lowborn, lower-class, lowly, lumpen, plebeian, prole, proletarian, unwashed, vulgar, bad, bastard, bush, bush-league, crummy, deficient, dissatisfactory, ill, lame, lousy, off, paltry, poor, punk, sour

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Inferior

Words with the opposite meaning of Inferior:

senior, superior, higher, upper, greater, aristocratic, blue-blooded, genteel, gentle, grand, great, high, highborn, highbred, lofty, noble, patrician, upper-class, upper-crust, wellborn, acceptable, adequate, all right, decent, fine, OK, passable, respectable, satisfactory, standard

Related Words for Inferior

attendant, follower, retainer, domestic, menial, steward, flunky, henchman, lackey, minion, adjutant, aid, aide, assistant, coadjutor, deputy, second, second fiddle, helpmate, helpmeet, mate, sidekick, lowest, nethermost, underlying, low-level, petty, under, average, fair

Near Antonyms of Inferior

boss, captain, chief, foreman, head, headman, helmsman, kingpin, leader, master, taskmaster, highest, uppermost, overhanging, overhead, choice, exceptional, premium, select, selected, sufficient, eminent, illustrious, notable, prominent, classic, classical, A1, bang-up, banner

Word Forms of Inferior

Derived words: inferior (noun), inferiority (noun), inferiorly (adverb)

Origin & Etymology of Inferior

Middle English, from Latin, comparative of inferus lower under

First known use: 15th century

Words & Phrases Containing Inferior

inferior conjunction, inferior planet

Frequently Asked Questions about Inferior

What does "Inferior" mean?

"Inferior" means of little or less importance, value, or merit. As an an adjective and a noun, it is defined as: of little or less importance, value, or merit. It has 7 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Inferior"?

Other words for "Inferior" include junior, subordinate, underling, lower, nether, mean, minor and secondary. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Inferior" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Inferior"?

There are 199 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Inferior". Common alternatives include junior, subordinate, underling, lower, nether, mean, minor, secondary, second-class and second-rate.

What is the opposite of "Inferior"?

Antonyms of "Inferior" include senior, superior, higher, upper, greater, aristocratic, blue-blooded and genteel. Near antonyms include boss, captain, chief and foreman.

How do you use "Inferior" in a sentence?

Examples of "Inferior" in a sentence: "she is nice to her inferiors as well as to her superiors"; "creatures that inhabit the dark, inferior depths of the ocean"; "a girl who has always felt inferior to her older sister".

Is "Inferior" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Inferior" can be used as an adjective and a noun, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Inferior"?

"Inferior" is pronounced /in-ˈfir-ē-ər/ and divided into syllables as in·fe·ri·or.

What is the origin of the word "Inferior"?

"Inferior" comes from Middle English, from Latin, comparative of inferus lower under. First known use: 15th century.