Leader and Subordinate

Opposite meaning words

Leader noun - The person (as an employer or supervisor) who tells people and especially workers what to do.

Usage example: the team leader is good at making sure that everyone keeps busy at their assigned tasks

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Subordinate is an antonym for leader.

Nearby Words: lead, leading, leadership

Subordinate noun - One who is of lower rank and typically under the authority of another.

Usage example: subordinates do most of the actual creation of the famous designer's clothing designs

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Leader is an antonym for subordinate in person that serves another topic.

good	good leader	good subordinate
female	female leader	female subordinate
best	best leader	best subordinate
dead	dead leader	dead subordinate
Other adjectives: popular, effective, powerful, evil, young, secret, heroic, political, former, military, official, next, last, competent.

Subverted in Angels 2200, as Hammer is unable to tell Kid about her feelings for her, largely because of their relationship as leader and subordinate.

Source: Dying Declaration of Love
She's still the official leader of Alexandria and Rick is at least nominally subordinate to her, but he's far more assertive and focused on taking out the various threats to the community.

Source: Still the Leader
Alternately, this can occur when a former subordinate is pressganged or voted into leadership after a Heroic Team Revolt or The Mutiny, whether or not the previous leader is left alive to complain.

Source: Time to Step Up, Commander

Cite this Source

Subordinate and Leader. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 16, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/leader/subordinate

Leader & Subordinate. N.p., 2016. Web. 16 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/leader/subordinate>.

Subordinate or Leader. 2016. Accessed August 16, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/leader/subordinate.

Google Ngram Viewer shows how "leader" and "subordinate" have occurred on timeline