From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishinferiorin‧fe‧ri‧or1 /ɪnˈfɪəriə $ -ˈfɪriər/ ●●○ adjective 1 BADWORSEnot good, or not as good as someone or something else OPP superior I felt very inferior among all those academics. wine of inferior quality inferior goodsinferior to I always felt slightly inferior to her. Their performance was inferior to that of other teams.2 formalPOSITION/RANK lower in rank OPP superior an inferior court of law He refused to accept a job of inferior status.COLLOCATIONS – Meanings 1 & 2adverbsgreatly inferiorIron is greatly inferior to steel in many ways.far inferior (=greatly inferior)He easily defeated a far inferior opponent.considerably inferior (=by quite a large amount)They have the same number of points as the league leaders, but a considerably inferior goal difference.vastly/grossly inferior (=by a very great amount)The quality of service was vastly inferior in that other restaurant.slightly inferior (also somewhat inferior formal)I always felt slightly inferior to her.markedly inferior (=in a way that is easy to notice)Our equipment was markedly inferior to that of the enemy forces.socially inferiorShe felt socially inferior to her husband's wealthy friends.morally inferiorNon-believers were considered morally inferior by people who adopted the new religion.intellectually inferiorStudents from working-class families were made to feel intellectually inferior.intrinsically inferior (=inferior as part of its nature or character)Recorded music is intrinsically inferior to the real thing.verbsfeel inferiorWomen are made to feel inferior by men's violence towards them.consider somebody/something inferiorThe poor are considered inferior by some people.nounsinferior qualityThe poor soil produces wine of inferior quality.an inferior positionHe argued that capitalism requires some people to be kept in an inferior position in society.inferior status formal (=an inferior position)As a slave, he was aware of his inferior status.inferior serviceHe wrote a letter to complain about inferior service at the hotel.inferior goods/productsThe public are being deceived into buying inferior goods.
Examples from the Corpus
inferior• What Engels stresses is that women were not inferior.• Consumers buy foreign goods because they believe that British made goods are inferior.• Shockingly, they still perceive women as inferior.• The plan was a daring one, for it would leave an inferior force in the Richmond defenses.• California oil is a heavier and inferior grade of oil, compared with other crude oils.• inferior health-care facilities• White bread is generally inferior in nutritional value.• Leiser discovered, however, that because the embassy had an inferior instrument, the pianist practiced at the local conservatory.• And far inferior is mere action to action performed with this evenness of mind.• I want the best -- I don't want some inferior model that's going to break down the first time I use it.• Does this imply that inferior performance can be expected in these structures?• Their furniture is certainly cheaper, but it's of inferior quality.• Consumers are tired of paying a high price for what is an increasingly inferior service.• But also added that he easily became impatient with any intellect inferior to his own.• Old Mr Carter was convinced that women doctors were inferior to men.• The idea that acts of love are inferior to principled acts is a deep-rooted philosophical tradition.inferior to• Some people view American wines as inferior in quality to European wines.inferiorinferior2 noun [countable] POSITION/RANKsomeone who has a lower position or rank than you in an organization OPP superiorExamples from the Corpus
inferior• One is killed, or lives as a cringing inferior who may never have cubs of her own.• But people decided it was only inferiors who ate alpaca meat.• It constitutes a gesture of respect not to make social inferiors conscious of their inferiority.• It hides from the inferiors the sources of domination and the process by which this has come about.Origin inferior1 (1400-1500) Latin “lower”, from inferus “below” 