superiors

IPA/suːˈpɪə.ri.ər/
KK[supˈɪriɚz]IPA/səˈpɪr.i.ɚ/

superiors — adjective

  • superiorspositive
  • more superiorscomparative
  • most superiorssuperlative

1. of a noticeably higher quality or standard than what is usual or than another th

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

of a noticeably higher quality or standard than what is usual or than another thing of the same kind — so significantly better that it stands out from the rest.

Example

The furniture at the hotel was made of superior materials that lasted for years.

superior + materials / quality / workmanship

Sophia thought her design was superior to the ones her classmates had submitted.

superior to + noun phrase

Common collocations
  • superior quality
  • superior service
  • superior performance
  • superior material
  • superior product
Synonyms
  • better

    more general and common; 'superior' is more formal and strongly implies top quality

  • excellent

    focuses on very high quality; 'superior' adds the idea of being better than others, not just good on its own

  • first-rate

    informal alternative; same meaning but less formal in tone

Antonyms
  • inferior

    direct opposite; lower in quality or standard

  • mediocre

    only average in quality; not impressive

Grammar Patterns

superior + noun

superior to + noun/pronoun

Usage Note

Commonly followed by 'to' when making a comparison: 'X is superior to Y'. Unlike 'better than', 'superior to' is never used with 'than'.

Common Mistakes

This phone is superior than that one.
This phone is superior to that one.
'superior' takes 'to', not 'than', even though it has a comparative meaning.
She is more superior than him.
She is superior to him.
'superior' is already comparative and does not take 'more'.

2. showing by words or behaviour that you regard yourself as above, more important,

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

showing by words or behaviour that you regard yourself as above, more important, or cleverer than those around you — typically in an unpleasant, condescending way that makes others feel small.

Example

The new manager spoke to the staff in a superior tone that annoyed everyone.

superior tone / manner / attitude

David tried to hide his superior smile when he heard about his colleague's mistake.

Common collocations
  • superior attitude
  • superior manner
  • superior tone
  • superior smile
  • superior air
Synonyms
  • condescending

    stronger focus on talking down to others, more formal

  • snobbish

    implies looking down on people of lower social status

  • haughty

    more literary; suggests proud and disdainful behaviour

Antonyms
  • humble

    not thinking you are better than others; modest

  • modest

    not boasting about your own achievements or qualities

Grammar Patterns

superior + noun (manner/attitude/smile)

feel/sound/act superior

Usage Note

This sense always carries a negative judgement. Unlike sense 1 (BETTER THAN AVERAGE) which describes objective quality, this sense describes a personality flaw or condescending behaviour.

Common Mistakes

She felt superior in a negative way.
She behaved in a superior manner that made everyone dislike her.
This sense describes outward behaviour and attitude, not just an inner feeling.

3. having a higher position, level, or authority within an organisation, system, or

3.adjectiveB1
Definition

having a higher position, level, or authority within an organisation, system, or hierarchy — used of people, courts, military ranks, or administrative bodies.

Example

Isabela reported directly to her superior officer at the military base.

superior officer

The court of appeal has superior authority over the lower district courts.

superior authority / court / body

Common collocations
  • superior officer
  • superior court
  • superior authority
  • superior rank
  • superior position
Synonyms
  • higher-ranking

    more explicit about hierarchy, less formal

  • senior

    common in workplace contexts; can also refer to age or experience

  • higher

    simpler but less precise; used in compound nouns like 'higher court'

Antonyms
  • junior

    lower in rank or position within an organisation

  • subordinate

    under the authority of someone else

Grammar Patterns

superior + noun (officer/court/authority)

superior to + person/institution

Usage Note

Distinguish from sense 1 (BETTER THAN AVERAGE): this sense is about position in a hierarchy, not about quality. A 'superior officer' is someone of higher rank, not necessarily a better officer.

Common Mistakes

My boss is superior to me at his job.
My boss is superior to me in rank.
If you mean he is a better worker, use sense 1; if you mean he outranks you, use sense 3.

4. located nearer to the top of the body, the head, or a reference point — used esp

4.adjectiveC1
Definition

located nearer to the top of the body, the head, or a reference point — used especially in medical or anatomical descriptions of body parts and their positions.

Example

The superior vena cava carries blood from the upper body back to the heart.

superior vena cava (major vein)

The fracture was located on the superior edge of the patient's left shoulder blade.

superior edge / surface / part

Common collocations
  • superior vena cava
  • superior lobe
  • superior surface
  • superior border
  • superior portion
Synonyms
  • upper

    everyday word for higher position; preferred outside medical contexts

  • higher

    simply means above; less technical than 'superior'

Antonyms
  • inferior

    anatomical term meaning lower or towards the feet

Grammar Patterns

superior + anatomical noun

Usage Note

In medical contexts, 'superior' is the opposite of 'inferior'. It is a standard directional term used in anatomy, nursing, and veterinary science. Not commonly used in everyday conversation.

Common Mistakes

The superior part of the building has better views.
The upper part of the building has better views.
For everyday spatial references (not anatomy), use 'upper' instead of 'superior'.

5. not affected or controlled by something unpleasant or negative — such as threats

5.adjectiveC1
Definition

not affected or controlled by something unpleasant or negative — such as threats, criticism, pain, or temptation — because you are strong enough or confident enough to rise above it.

Example

The old judge was superior to the threats and continued the trial without fear.

superior to + threats / criticism / pressure

Obi stayed calm and was superior to the petty insults from the audience.

Common collocations
  • superior to threats
  • superior to temptation
  • superior to criticism
  • superior to pain
Synonyms
  • above

    more common in everyday speech; 'above the criticism' is simpler

  • immune to

    suggests complete protection; 'superior to' implies active strength of character

  • unaffected by

    more neutral; lacks the implication of moral strength

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

superior to + noun (threats/criticism/pressure)

Usage Note

Always used with 'to' followed by a noun referring to something negative (threats, criticism, temptation, hardship, pain). The subject is typically a person or group showing resilience. This is a fairly formal usage.

Common Mistakes

She was superior to the exam because she studied hard.
She performed better on the exam because she studied hard.
This sense is about withstanding negative influences, not about outperforming others.

superiors — noun

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe something of high quality, but they differ in register and emphasis. 'Better' is the most general and everyday word — you can use it in any situation ('This restaurant is better than the one on Main Street'). 'Excellent' focuses on the absolute quality level rather than comparison: something excellent is very good on its own, not necessarily better than something else. 'Superior' is more formal and strongly implies the thing stands out against others of its kind. 'First-rate' is informal and slightly old-fashioned, common in conversational British English. 'Premium' typically applies to products and suggests a higher price as well as higher quality. When recommending a product, use 'superior' for a serious, objective tone ('the superior material lasts longer') and 'first-rate' for a casual recommendation ('the food was first-rate').

better ↗excellent ↗first-rate ↗premium ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

  • vastly superior
  • far superior
  • clearly superior
  • generally superior

Phrases

  • superior to
  • superior in quality
  • superior in rank

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'superior' comes directly from Latin 'superior', meaning 'higher' or 'upper'. This is the comparative form of 'superus' (situated above), which itself comes from 'super' (above, over). The word entered English in the 14th century through Old French 'superiour'. The anatomical sense was already present in Latin medical texts and was carried over into English medical terminology. The sense meaning 'arrogant' developed in the 17th century, as people described those who put on airs of being above others.

First known use

14th century

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1 Noun