second base

noun

1

: the base that must be touched second by a base runner in baseball

2

: the player position for defending the area on the first-base side of second base

3

slang + impolite : amorous touching or caressing especially of the breasts

—usually used in phrases like get to second base or reach second base

We had started making out, but he had only gotten to second base so far.

—Helene Cooper

compare first base sense 4, home base sense 3, third base sense 3

second baseman noun

Examples of second base in a Sentence

He slid into second base.

He used to play second base for the Red Sox.

Recent Examples on the Web

Willson Contreras led off the 11th with a single that advanced automatic runner Wilyer Abreu from second base to third. — CBS News, 26 Aug. 2026

Nate Furman, Shay Whitcomb and Grant McCray, all promoted to the big leagues from Triple-A Sacramento earlier Monday, started the game at second base, third base and right field, respectively, and hit sixth, seventh and eighth in the order. — Curtis Pashelka, Mercury News, 25 Aug. 2026

Feliciano, a founder of Clearlake Capital in Santa Monica, took the mound at Petco Park on Monday afternoon, working out of a stretch and looking toward an invisible runner at second base before delivering a pitch. — Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026

Tatis never got past second base, as Skenes struck out Jake Cronenworth, got a pop-up to the left side of the infield, and Ty France to pop up in foul territory on the right side. — Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1848, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for second base

• aerospace
• anatase
• anyplace
• commonplace
• cyberspace
• database
• diabase
• diastase
• dnase
• elastase
• fireplace
• hyperspace

Kids Definition

second base

noun

: the base that must be touched second by a base runner in baseball or the position of the player defending the area around it