subordinates

NOUN

person that serves another

Synonyms

STRONGEST

aide assistant deputy servant underling

STRONG

attendant dependent flunky gofer helper inferior junior peon scrub second serf slave subaltern

WEAK

poor relation second fiddle second string third string

Antonyms

WEAK

boss chief leader major manager master superior

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Holder, subordinates text and history to state prerogatives.

From Slate • May 5, 2026

This has long unnerved investors wary of backing a company whose mission explicitly subordinates profit to the broader benefit of humanity.

From Barron's • Apr. 28, 2026

Under this model, leaders give subordinates clear objectives but leave the tactical execution to their discretion.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 4, 2026

The party also placed some of Ma’s former subordinates in the Shenzhen municipal government and the chairman of a major property developer in the city under investigation in recent months.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

J. T., who was in his late twenties, had cooled down his subordinates, but he didn’t seem to want to interfere directly with their catch.

From "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven D. Levitt