runner-up

noun

run·​ner-up ˈrə-nər-ˌəp 

ˌrə-nər-ˈəp

plural runners-up ˈrə-nərz-ˌəp 

ˌrə-nərz-ˈəp

also runner-ups

: the competitor that does not win first place in a contest

especially : one that finishes in second place

Examples of runner-up in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

With a devastating combination of cutters, sinkers and fastballs, the young right-hander has racked up 234 strikeouts, third in the AL behind Cleveland Guardians ace Gavin Williams (244) and likely Cy Young runner-up Dylan Cease (239). — Ryan Canfield Outkick, FOXNews.com, 24 Sep. 2026

North Korea is the defending champion and has won three U20 Women’s World Cups in total, also finishing runner-up once in 2008. — Patrick Sung Cuadrado, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2026

Sunday night stage gets our Game of the Week runner-up and what for me was the toughest pick of Week 3. — Miami Herald, 24 Sep. 2026

Riggs has one top five in three starts at Kansas—a runner-up finish in September of 2024. — Reid Spencer, Kansas City Star, 24 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1859, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for runner-up

• buttercup
• backup
• blowup
• breakup
• buildup
• checkup
• cleanup
• holdup
• hookup
• lineup
• lockup
• makeup

Kids Definition

runner-up

noun

run·​ner-up

ˈrən-ə-ˌrəp

plural runners-up

: the competitor in a contest who finishes next to the winner