LOWER CLASS Synonyms: 44 Similar and Opposite Words

lower-class

adjective

ˌlō-ər-ˈklas

Definition of lower-class

as in low

belonging to the class of people of low social or economic rank they were finally earning enough to get out of the lower-class tax bracket

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of lower-class But new research is shedding light on what life was like for middle- and lower-class residents. — Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 20 July 2026 The franchise centers around a dystopian nation called Panem, where rich and authoritarian leaders force twelve lower-class districts to submit two children to fight in a deadly, and televised, battle every year. — Nicholas Rice, PEOPLE, 11 July 2026 In recent years, more and more students from lower-class families have been able to attend universities. — The Atlantic, 16 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for lower-class

Adjective

Landrew came off the bench for the first time this preseason and used his physicality to get to the basket for a pair of layups in the first half while Oskar Giltay battled with 7-foot-4 Daniel Jacobsen down low.

— Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 28 Oct. 2026
The distance is worth it for travelers who want a budget-friendly hotel that still has loads of style, as prices tend to be significantly lower than downtown hotels.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of low

Adjective

Linen and cotton, cooling garments, were too plebeian; the people posed nobly for street-style social-media accounts in leather jackets and low-slung jorts.

— Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 27 June 2026
This one is about a regular old guy, a hedge knight in the plebeian population of Westeros, just trying to get by in a world that isn't kind to the common and poor.

— Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 13 Jan. 2026

Definition of plebeian

Adjective

But West Virginia is a proletarian locale that until not long ago was a Democratic stronghold.

— Mark Leibovich, The Atlantic, 11 Feb. 2026
These ranged from the aristocratic elite who dominated the military and bureaucracy and yearned for a return to monarchy, to communists who sought proletarian rule, to the National Socialists who wanted to establish a right-wing dictatorship.

— Time, Time, 23 Oct. 2025

Definition of proletarian

Adjective

Bellow felt an affinity with Kennedy’s combination of low-life high jinks, human frailty, and virtuoso style.

— Cynthia Zarin, Harpers Magazine, 1 Sep. 2026
The president can be assured that his low-life actions will eliminate him as a candidate to get to Heaven.

— Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 25 Mar. 2026

Definition of low-life

Adjective

Fresh off a massive four-year, $180-million contract extension that solidified Reaves as a legitimate star player, the humble Arkansas native has elevated his game with the same mindset taught to him from his parents and older brother.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2026
In the early days, players were humble, and genuinely grateful just to have a place in the United States to play.

— Patricia Babcock McGraw OutKick, FOXNews.com, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of humble

Adjective

Food & Wine praised the method, specifically singling out the restaurant’s Le 7 Consistenze della Cipolla pizza, which will inspire you to think about the lowly onion in all new ways.

— Connie Ogle, Miami Herald, 24 Oct. 2026
Houston managed to keep its season alive last week with a victory over the lowly Tennessee Titans, but there’s still almost no margin for error if a postseason berth is on the cards.

— Andy Scholes, CNN Money, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of lowly

Adjective

Disease that has spread to those organs is associated with poorer treatment outcomes.

— Annika Kim Constantino, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2026
They were frustrated with teacher shortages and poor conditions at schools, including overcrowded classrooms and dilapidated buildings.

— James Cirrone , Brittany Miller, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of poor

Adjective

The idea is to sound like an inferior buck in the brush, one that is roaming around a mature deer’s space and getting on his nerves.

— Michael Hanback, Outdoor Life, 14 Oct. 2026
Only 272 yards, at home, against a UCLA team that unquestionably has inferior talent?

— Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of inferior

Browse Nearby Words

lower

lower-class

lowered

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Lower-class.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lower-class. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of lower-class

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

grotesque

Popular in Grammar & Usage

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE

Popular

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes