second only to
idiom
: only less important than (something or someone)
Rice is second only to corn as the state's major crop.
Examples of second only to in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
An efficient 23 points — to go with eight rebounds and two assists — was second only to Nick Smith Jr.’s 24-point outing.
—
Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 14 July 2024
Season two averaged better than 16 million viewers across all platforms in the 90 days after its premiere, which at the time was second only to Game of Thrones among the network’s series (Thrones prequel House of the Dragon and The Last of Us have since surpassed that figure).
—Rick Porter, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 July 2024
Threats to democracy are second only to the economy in the percentage of swing state voters overall who describe the issue as extremely important.
—Scott Clement, Washington Post, 26 June 2024
Its collection of remarkably aged castles are second only to the unmitigated beauty of the coastal cliffs, valleys, and sprawling grasslands.
—Christopher A. Daniel, Architectural Digest, 25 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for second only to 
Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 14 July 2024
Season two averaged better than 16 million viewers across all platforms in the 90 days after its premiere, which at the time was second only to Game of Thrones among the network’s series (Thrones prequel House of the Dragon and The Last of Us have since surpassed that figure).
—Rick Porter, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 July 2024
Threats to democracy are second only to the economy in the percentage of swing state voters overall who describe the issue as extremely important.
—Scott Clement, Washington Post, 26 June 2024
Its collection of remarkably aged castles are second only to the unmitigated beauty of the coastal cliffs, valleys, and sprawling grasslands.
—Christopher A. Daniel, Architectural Digest, 25 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for second only to
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'second only to.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near second only to
Cite this Entry
“Second only to.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/second%20only%20to. Accessed 26 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share