Meaning & use

superior

adjective·Academic

Higher in quality, rank, or status compared to others.

See it in a sentence

The new engine offers superior fuel efficiency compared to last year's model.

His superior attitude annoyed coworkers who felt he looked down on them.

A note on using this word

As a noun, 'a superior' refers to someone of higher rank, especially at work or in the military.

Words with a similar meaning

betterhigher-rankingpreeminent

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

inferiorsubordinate

Another way to use it

2. noun

A person of higher rank or authority, especially in a workplace.

She reported the incident directly to her superior at the company.

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