Inferior (Adjective)
Meaning 1
Written or printed below and to one side of another character.
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Synonyms
Meaning 3
Of or characteristic of low rank or importance.
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- The new employee was given an inferior title despite his impressive qualifications and experience.
- Inferior officers are not allowed to make major decisions without consulting their superiors.
- The inferior court has jurisdiction over minor civil and criminal cases.
- She was relegated to an inferior position after the company restructured its management team.
- The company's inferior product was outsold by its competitor's more popular and higher-quality alternative.
Antonyms
Meaning 4
Having an orbit between the sun and the Earth's orbit; "Mercury and Venus are inferior planets".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- Mercury and Venus are classified as inferior planets because their orbits are closer to the sun than Earth's orbit.
- The inferior planets in our solar system, Mercury and Venus, have extremely close proximity to the sun.
- Astronomers often study the inferior planets to gain insights into the early formation of the solar system.
- The inferior planets' orbits are much smaller than those of the superior planets, resulting in faster orbital periods.
- In our solar system, the two inferior planets, Mercury and Venus, are rocky and have no natural satellites.
Antonyms
Meaning 5
Lower than a given reference point; "inferior alveolar artery".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- The inferior vena cava is a large vein that carries deoxygenated blood from the lower body to the heart.
- The inferior olivary nucleus is a group of neurons in the medulla oblongata that plays a role in motor coordination.
- The inferior colliculus is a structure in the midbrain that processes auditory information.
- The inferior epigastric artery arises from the external iliac artery and supplies blood to the abdominal wall.
- The inferior rectus muscle is one of the six extraocular muscles that control eye movement.
Meaning 6
Falling short of some prescribed norm; "substandard housing".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- The company was fined for selling inferior products that did not meet the required safety standards.
- The hotel room was small and cramped, with inferior amenities compared to other hotels in the same price range.
- The new employee's performance was deemed inferior to his colleagues, and he was put on probation.
- The inferior quality of the construction materials used in the building led to its collapse during the earthquake.
- The restaurant's inferior service and mediocre food led to a decline in customer satisfaction and a loss of business.