as in lesser
having not so great importance or rank as another
his contention is that environment plays a subordinate role to heredity in determining what we become
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in underling
one who is of lower rank and typically under the authority of another
subordinates do most of the actual creation of the famous designer's clothing designs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to subject
to bring under one's control by force of arms
it is one of the lessons of history that more powerful civilizations often subordinate weaker ones
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of subordinate
Veronique De Rugy, Oc Register, 2 Sep. 2025
The San Diego readiness center is a subordinate command of the NIFR, which is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas.
—Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Aug. 2025
Kim Elsesser, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Nestle said Freixe’s departure follows an investigation overseen by Chairman Paul Bulcke and Lead Independent Director Pablo Isla into an undisclosed romantic relationship with a direct subordinate, which breached the company’s code of business conduct.
—Reuters, CNN Money, 1 Sep. 2025
Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 5 Aug. 2025
This is a major change for a Republican Party that used to believe that character and behavior mattered and couldn’t be subordinated or overlooked.
—Colin Pascal, Baltimore Sun, 4 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for subordinate
Adjective
As public debt grows, the link becomes more visible and fiscal dominance — which occurs when a central bank like the Fed becomes subordinate to the government’s fiscal policy — looms larger.
—Veronique De Rugy, Oc Register, 2 Sep. 2025
The San Diego readiness center is a subordinate command of the NIFR, which is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas.
—Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Aug. 2025
Noun
Brian Krzanich, the former CEO of Intel, was fired in 2018 after the company learned of a past consensual relationship with a subordinate.
—Kim Elsesser, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Nestle said Freixe’s departure follows an investigation overseen by Chairman Paul Bulcke and Lead Independent Director Pablo Isla into an undisclosed romantic relationship with a direct subordinate, which breached the company’s code of business conduct.
—Reuters, CNN Money, 1 Sep. 2025
Verb
Gael García Bernal brilliantly subordinates his stardom to Diaz’s discerning camera, disappearing into the role of the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan, who, at the start of the 16th century, navigated a crew to Southeast Asia after convincing the Spanish crown to fund his journey.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 5 Aug. 2025
This is a major change for a Republican Party that used to believe that character and behavior mattered and couldn’t be subordinated or overlooked.
—Colin Pascal, Baltimore Sun, 4 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for subordinate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subordinate
Adjective
-
Even lesser-scale incidents like the Varsity Blues college admissions scandal and the Volkswagen emissions scandal erode trust in the institutions that help make our society possible and push it forward.—
Lindsey Witmer Collins,
Forbes.com,
7 Aug. 2025
-
Toronto’s Fred VanVleet appears to be the top target, but Miami’s Kyle Lowry, Utah’s Mike Conley and, perhaps to a lesser extent, Charlotte’s Terry Rozier have been linked to the team at various points.—
Staff Writer
Follow,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Feb. 2023
Noun
-
When his underlings spew hate about the Golden State on Fox News and social media?—
Gustavo Arellano,
Mercury News,
22 Aug. 2025
-
Recast versions of his Romulan underlings also appear on the bridge of his Bird of Prey.—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
15 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Richmond served as the functional center for the chattel slavery system in the United States, the capitol city of the Confederacy during the Civil War and was one of the many cities that subjected residents to redlining lending practices.—
Andrea Riquier,
USA Today,
9 Sep. 2025
-
Today, the Court needlessly subjects countless more to these exact same indignities.—
Dan Gooding
Hannah Parry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
In practice, that can mean running the same queries more efficiently in less time and with lower compute costs.—
Matthew Kayser,
USA Today,
13 Sep. 2025
-
An effective hair growth solution is less about fancy marketing claims, but formulas rooted in ingredients that can improve hair’s density and fullness while limiting breakage.—
Kiana Murden,
Vogue,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Carr had been a game warden in Northern Rhodesia (as Zambia was then called), where hunting dominated.—
Daniel Scheffler,
Forbes.com,
12 Sep. 2025
-
While oversized leather bomber jackets and trench coats continue to dominate fall trend reports, more voluminous, blanketing silhouettes will surely gain momentum as temperatures begin to plummet.—
Emily Tannenbaum,
Glamour,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The junior led Monte Vista to a 5-0 record and a win at the Bishop O’Dowd Invitational with 68 kills, 17 aces, 12 blocks and 34 digs.—
Christian Babcock,
Mercury News,
11 Sep. 2025
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Lance Suaste, a junior at the university, was walking past the nearby Mountain Run apartments, having just been dropped off after spending the day at a friend’s house.—
N'dea Yancey-Bragg,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Critics panned Lyles’ subdued initial response and blamed the policies of Charlotte officials for failing to prevent the murder.—
Nick Sullivan,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Sep. 2025
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Critically, American surveillance technologies allowed a brutal mass detention campaign in the far west region of Xinjiang — targeting, tracking and grading virtually the entire native Uyghur population to forcibly assimilate and subdue them.—
Sheryl Estrada,
Fortune,
9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
And ultimately, the Supreme Court overruled those lower court rulings and did declare the embryos as children qualifying under the wrongful death statute.—
Dana Taylor,
USA TODAY,
1 Mar. 2024
-
Lower gas demand amid increasing supply has led to lower pump prices.—
Frank Witsil,
Detroit Free Press,
19 June 2023
Cite this Entry
“Subordinate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subordinate. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.
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