The meaning of SUBORDINATE is placed in or occupying a lower class, rank, or position : inferior.

SUBORDINATE definition: placed in or belonging to a lower order or rank. See examples of subordinate used in a sentence.

subordinate noun [C] (PERSON) a person who has a less important position than you in an organization:

A subordinate is someone who works for someone else. As a verb, to subordinate means to place or rank one thing below another. When you're doing a group project, sometimes you have to …

subordinate (to somebody) having less power or authority than somebody else in a group or an organization. In some societies women are still subordinate to men. She was directly …

Subject to the authority or control of another. n. One that is subordinate. 1. To put in a lower or inferior rank or class. 2. To make subservient; subdue.

SUBORDINATE meaning: 1 : in a position of less power or authority than someone else often + to; 2 : less important than someone or something else often + to

There are ten meanings listed in OED's entry for the word subordinate, one of which is labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

If you subordinate something to another thing, you regard it or treat it as less important than the other thing. He was both willing and able to subordinate all else to this aim.

Dec 20, 2025 · subordinate (third-person singular simple present subordinates, present participle subordinating, simple past and past participle subordinated) (transitive) To make subservient …