Conclude independent has alternative subordinate (8)
I believe the answer is:
inferior
'subordinate' is the definition.
('inferior' is associated in meaning with 'subordinate')
'conclude independent has alternative' is the wordplay.
'conclude' becomes 'infer' (inferring is a kind of concluding).
'independent' becomes 'i'.
'has' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'alternative' becomes 'or'.
'infer'+'i'+'or'='INFERIOR'
(Other definitions for inferior that I've seen before include "Less important, valuable" , "not vintage" , "Poorer in quality" , "badly done?" , "Subordinate" .)