: one that is below or after the best
: in second place
Examples of second-best in a Sentence
Noun
He won't settle for second best.
Recent Examples on the Web
Miami Herald, 24 Sep. 2025
Five-time All-Star center Karl-Anthony Towns, now the team's second-best player behind only two-time All-NBA point guard Jalen Brunson, was acquired from the Minnesota Timberwolves for former three-time New York power forward Julius Randle.
—Alex Kirschenbaum, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025
Peter Debruge, Variety, 22 July 2025
The second best performing sector in 2025 has been consumer staples, and the tobacco group has shown strong performance going back to mid-2024.
—David Keller, CNBC, 4 Mar. 2025
Anna Lazarus Caplan, Peoplemag, 10 Feb. 2023
His 138 yards over expectation ranked second best to Keisean Nixon's 214 for Green Bay.
—Josh Dubow, ajc, 11 Jan. 2023
See All Example Sentences for second-best
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Adjective
Seattle isn’t flashy but is solid, sneaky good, with the second-best points differential in the NFL and Sam Darnold-to-Jaxon Smith-Njigba an unheralded-but-potent hookup.
—Miami Herald, 24 Sep. 2025
Five-time All-Star center Karl-Anthony Towns, now the team's second-best player behind only two-time All-NBA point guard Jalen Brunson, was acquired from the Minnesota Timberwolves for former three-time New York power forward Julius Randle.
—Alex Kirschenbaum, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025
Noun
Marvel has made clear that the studio is preparing the Fantastic Four’s most iconic nemesis, Dr. Doom, for a forthcoming film, but the planet-obliterating combo of Galactus and Silver Surfer hardly feel like second best.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 22 July 2025
The second best performing sector in 2025 has been consumer staples, and the tobacco group has shown strong performance going back to mid-2024.
—David Keller, CNBC, 4 Mar. 2025
Adverb
Among the challenges for the second best-selling female artist of all time?
—Anna Lazarus Caplan, Peoplemag, 10 Feb. 2023
His 138 yards over expectation ranked second best to Keisean Nixon's 214 for Green Bay.
—Josh Dubow, ajc, 11 Jan. 2023
See All Example Sentences for second-best
Cite this Entry
“Second-best.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/second-best. Accessed 30 Sep. 2025.
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