Subordinate: meaning, definitions and examples

Used in professional or organizational settings to refer to someone with a lower rank or position.

• She is my subordinate at work
• In the military, orders are passed down from superior officers to their subordinates

Describes someone or something of lower quality, status or importance, often with a negative connotation.

• This product is inferior to the one we sold last year
• He always felt inferior to his older brother

Implies excessive willingness to obey or serve others, often used critically to describe someone who is overly submissive.

• She had a subservient attitude towards her boss, which bothered her colleagues
• He didn't want to appear subservient in front of his team

Often used in a derogatory manner to refer to someone of lower status or rank, implying they have little power or significance.

• The manager treated his employees like mere underlings
• He saw himself as an intellectual, not just another underling

This term is most commonly used in a professional or hierarchical organizational context to describe someone who is lower in rank or position.

• He directly reports to his superviser as a subordinate.
• In our company, team leaders manage the tasks assigned to their subordinates.

This word is often used when comparing quality, status, or value and can have a negative connotation. It implies that something or someone is of lower quality or less importance.

• The product was considered inferior because it broke easily.
• He felt inferior to his coworkers because he had less experience.

This word implies excessive willingness to serve or please others and often has a negative connotation. It can describe someone who is overly obedient or submissive.

• She was expected to be completely subservient to her employer's demands.
• In many old stories, servants were depicted as subservient and without a voice.

Typically used to describe something that is of lesser importance or priority compared to something else. It doesn't necessarily have a negative connotation.

• Her happiness was secondary to his career ambitions.
• In an emergency, personal belongings are secondary to personal safety.