inferior
adjective
in·fe·ri·or
in-ˈfir-ē-ər 
Examples of inferior in a Sentence
… the pearls were of inferior quality; they looked like pearlized globs of varying wrinkly shapes.
—
Tracie Rozhon, New York Times, 24 Aug. 2002
Sharks, rays, and ratfishes share a special burden: these cartilaginous fishes are saddled with a reputation for being somehow inferior to vertebrates blessed with bony skeletons.
—Carl Zimmer, Natural History, September 2000
No longer do workers and peasants feel inferior to the university-trained.
—Rhea Menzel Whitehead, Saturday Review, 4 Mar. 1972
These pearls are of inferior quality.
They were considered a socially inferior group.
He always felt inferior around his brother.
The judges voted to overturn a ruling made by an inferior court.
Tracie Rozhon, New York Times, 24 Aug. 2002
Sharks, rays, and ratfishes share a special burden: these cartilaginous fishes are saddled with a reputation for being somehow inferior to vertebrates blessed with bony skeletons.
—Carl Zimmer, Natural History, September 2000
No longer do workers and peasants feel inferior to the university-trained.
—Rhea Menzel Whitehead, Saturday Review, 4 Mar. 1972
These pearls are of inferior quality.
They were considered a socially inferior group.
He always felt inferior around his brother.
The judges voted to overturn a ruling made by an inferior court.
Recent Examples on the Web
With typical aplomb, Ms. Vendler declared Donne to be his inferior.
—William Grimes, New York Times, 24 Apr. 2024
Key also owned slaves and is said to believe that Black people were intrinsically inferior as a race.
—Emi Tuyetnhi Tran, NBC News, 10 Apr. 2024
Back in the kitchen, Savannah was feeling a little inferior when scoping out the Red Team’s technical dishes, like Kévin’s stunning olive canapes, which were brought to the judges first next to her cucumber-melon salad.
—Rachel Bernhard, Journal Sentinel, 27 Mar. 2024
But Republicans nationwide have alleged that the process is inferior to voting in person and less secure.
—Mackenzie Mays, Los Angeles Times, 18 Mar. 2024
Founding displays at many of the country’s older museums reflected the once-widespread, racist view held by many white anthropologists and early archaeologists that Native Americans were an inferior and dying race of people whose ancestors needed to be studied and preserved.
—Mary Hudetz, ProPublica, 21 Feb. 2024
But the 10-day league has often been a chance for second-year players to show off against inferior competition for a few games.
—Joseph Dycus, The Mercury News, 17 Apr. 2024
Nowadays, discount shopping is just an Amazon click away — a race to the bottom of inferior products and loneliness.
—Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2024
Three years ago, women’s basketball players were treated as second-class players by the NCAA with vastly inferior weight rooms—a scandal that prompted some reflection in the sport.
—Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 8 Apr. 2024
William Grimes, New York Times, 24 Apr. 2024
Key also owned slaves and is said to believe that Black people were intrinsically inferior as a race.
—Emi Tuyetnhi Tran, NBC News, 10 Apr. 2024
Back in the kitchen, Savannah was feeling a little inferior when scoping out the Red Team’s technical dishes, like Kévin’s stunning olive canapes, which were brought to the judges first next to her cucumber-melon salad.
—Rachel Bernhard, Journal Sentinel, 27 Mar. 2024
But Republicans nationwide have alleged that the process is inferior to voting in person and less secure.
—Mackenzie Mays, Los Angeles Times, 18 Mar. 2024
Founding displays at many of the country’s older museums reflected the once-widespread, racist view held by many white anthropologists and early archaeologists that Native Americans were an inferior and dying race of people whose ancestors needed to be studied and preserved.
—Mary Hudetz, ProPublica, 21 Feb. 2024
But the 10-day league has often been a chance for second-year players to show off against inferior competition for a few games.
—Joseph Dycus, The Mercury News, 17 Apr. 2024
Nowadays, discount shopping is just an Amazon click away — a race to the bottom of inferior products and loneliness.
—Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2024
Three years ago, women’s basketball players were treated as second-class players by the NCAA with vastly inferior weight rooms—a scandal that prompted some reflection in the sport.
—Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 8 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'inferior.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Inferior.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inferior. Accessed 2 May. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
inferior
adjective
in·fe·ri·or
in-ˈfir-ē-ər
1
: situated below and closer to the feet than another and especially another similar part of an upright body especially of a human being compare superior sense 1
2
: situated in a more posterior or ventral position in the body of a quadruped compare superior sense 2
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