low·er-class
ˌlō-ər-ˈklas 
1
: of, relating to, or characteristic of the lower class
2
: being an inferior or low-ranking specimen of its kind
a lower-class theater
: a social class occupying a position below the middle class and having the lowest status in a society
Synonyms
Examples of lower-class in a Sentence
Adjective
they were finally earning enough to get out of the lower-class tax bracket
Noun
a member of the lower class
Recent Examples on the Web
Shannon K. O'Neil, Foreign Affairs, 3 May 2017
According to the Department of Transportation (DOT), if a consumer has been involuntarily moved to a lower class of service, they are owed the difference in fare.
—Harrison Pierce, Travel + Leisure, 2 Aug. 2024
The documentary is a portrait of the high pressure world of high-level amateur athletics, and of the struggle of adolescence in the lower class.
—Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 31 July 2024
Friedman shows how whereas the middle class and the elite have a stake in the economy, the lower classes—and especially the unemployed—are excluded from the formal economy altogether.
—Sisonke Msimang, Foreign Affairs, 19 Oct. 2021
See all Example Sentences for lower-class 
Noun
And even those from the lower classes who do graduate are often overlooked in the job market in favor of the well-heeled and well-connected.
—Shannon K. O'Neil, Foreign Affairs, 3 May 2017
According to the Department of Transportation (DOT), if a consumer has been involuntarily moved to a lower class of service, they are owed the difference in fare.
—Harrison Pierce, Travel + Leisure, 2 Aug. 2024
The documentary is a portrait of the high pressure world of high-level amateur athletics, and of the struggle of adolescence in the lower class.
—Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 31 July 2024
Friedman shows how whereas the middle class and the elite have a stake in the economy, the lower classes—and especially the unemployed—are excluded from the formal economy altogether.
—Sisonke Msimang, Foreign Affairs, 19 Oct. 2021
See all Example Sentences for lower-class
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lower-class.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near lower-class
Cite this Entry
“Lower-class.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lower-class. Accessed 13 Sep. 2024.
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