sec·ond-degree
ˈse-kən(d)-di-ˈgrē 
-kᵊŋ-
1
US, of a crime
: of a level of seriousness that is less than first degree : warranting punishment but not the most severe punishment
second-degree assault/murder
2
: causing or characterized by a moderate level of injury
a second-degree concussion
see also second-degree burn
US
: the level of a crime that is less than first degree and warrants less severe punishment
He was charged with assault in the second degree.
Examples of second-degree in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 10 May 2026
Reach out to people who engaged with your content, new followers who match your ideal client profile, and second-degree connections whose work overlaps with yours.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 10 May 2026
Samira Asma-Sadeque, PEOPLE, 29 Apr. 2026
Ashley Mack and Mia Shaw were both charged with armed criminal action, unlawful use of a weapon and second degree burglary, according to a news release from Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson.
—Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 28 Apr. 2026
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Adjective
In 1991, Broderick was convicted of second-degree murder for the deaths of her ex-husband, Daniel Broderick III, who was 44, and his new, 28-year-old wife, Linda Kolkena Broderick.
—Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 10 May 2026
Reach out to people who engaged with your content, new followers who match your ideal client profile, and second-degree connections whose work overlaps with yours.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 10 May 2026
Noun
Jackson has since been charged with several offenses including first and second degree murder.
—Samira Asma-Sadeque, PEOPLE, 29 Apr. 2026
Ashley Mack and Mia Shaw were both charged with armed criminal action, unlawful use of a weapon and second degree burglary, according to a news release from Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson.
—Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 28 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for second-degree
Cite this Entry
“Second-degree.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/second-degree. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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