Subordinations

Subordination is the act or state of placing something in a lower or dependent position relative to something else. The term is used across disciplines to describe relationships of lower rank, priority, or dependence. In grammar, subordination refers to the linking of a dependent clause to a main clause, so that the former cannot stand alone. Subordinate clauses can function as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs, and are typically introduced by subordinating conjunctions such as because, although, since, while, or by relative pronouns such as who, which. An example is: Although it was late, we continued the work, where the clause “Although it was late” depends on the main clause.

In legal and financial contexts, subordination defines the priority of claims in events like liquidation. Subordinated debt ranks below senior debt and is repaid only after senior creditors are paid. Subordination agreements can modify the order of payment or priority among different lenders, affecting risk and interest rates. In corporate and organizational settings, subordination describes the chain of command, with subordinates reporting to supervisors and following established protocols. It can also refer to the legal prerogative of one entity to yield authority to another in governance or contractual arrangements.

Subordinations, the plural, appear wherever a hierarchy or priority is created, from syntax and law to finance and administration. See also subordination (grammar) and debt subordination for domain-specific treatments.