1
as in decent
of average to below average quality
a second-rate song from a songwriter who has done much better
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in inferior
of little or less value or merit
a second-rate company that was never considered among the top manufacturers of televisions
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3
as in cheap
of low quality
second-rate goods specifically manufactured for the low end of the market
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of second-rate
No one wants polluted air and water, but no American wants to live in a second-rate nation.
—
Suwanna Gauntlett Upjohn, Forbes.com, 4 July 2025
But the paucity of high-level talent across those 12 programs reflects the second-rate state of college basketball in the West.
—Jon Wilner, Mercury News, 28 June 2025
The scandal led to a divorce, followed by Fred’s relocation to a second-rate college on the West Coast—everything had been predictable, stale like last week’s bread.
—Yiyun Li, New Yorker, 15 June 2025
The father, Buddy Smart (Bryan Cranston), is the clan’s second-rate crackpot visionary, a cockeyed optimist who dresses in fuddy-duddy jackets and never knows where the next paycheck is coming from.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 11 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for second-rate
Suwanna Gauntlett Upjohn, Forbes.com, 4 July 2025
But the paucity of high-level talent across those 12 programs reflects the second-rate state of college basketball in the West.
—Jon Wilner, Mercury News, 28 June 2025
The scandal led to a divorce, followed by Fred’s relocation to a second-rate college on the West Coast—everything had been predictable, stale like last week’s bread.
—Yiyun Li, New Yorker, 15 June 2025
The father, Buddy Smart (Bryan Cranston), is the clan’s second-rate crackpot visionary, a cockeyed optimist who dresses in fuddy-duddy jackets and never knows where the next paycheck is coming from.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 11 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for second-rate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for second-rate
Adjective
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The ones that are exchange-traded have decent trading volume, so you don’t get badly nicked when entering or exiting.—
William Baldwin,
Forbes.com,
22 Aug. 2025
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Sullivan’s Crossing also enjoyed a decent audience this interval with 727M minutes viewed, putting it at No. 8.—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
22 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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In this respect his authority would be nominally the same with that of the king of Great Britain, but in substance much inferior to it.—
Chris Lehmann,
Harpers Magazine,
20 Aug. 2025
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As a result, some companies feel pressure to reduce prices or to sell inferior products, said Greenhouse’s Millen.—
The Detroit News,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Below are the top options, ranked from cheapest to most expensive starting prices: T-Mobile Home Internet: Starts at $50 per month for speeds up to 415 Mbps, with simple pricing and no extra equipment costs.—
Roxanne Downer,
USA Today,
26 Aug. 2025
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The Sooner State overtook Mississippi for the distinction of having the cheapest gas prices in the nation, which is now second in the country, at $2.685 per gallon.—
Washington Examiner Staff,
The Washington Examiner,
25 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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During his four-year career, he’s been defined by prolonged stretches of mediocre baseball.—
Matt Gelb,
New York Times,
21 Aug. 2025
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That’s what separates you, reading this article, from the next professional who’s satisfied and comfortable with staying mediocre while complaining about the cost of living.—
Rachel Wells,
Forbes.com,
21 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Several minor incidents took place at polling stations in the central region of Cochabamba, Morales' political stronghold.—
Lucinda Elliott,
USA Today,
19 Aug. 2025
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One section of Long Beach Elementary School is also currently unusable, and there are minor leaks and water damage at eight other district schools.—
Molly Morrow,
Chicago Tribune,
19 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The White House disputes the prediction, arguing the Congressional Budget Office is a poor predictor of outcomes.—
Jessie Opoien,
jsonline.com,
29 Aug. 2025
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While poor earnings could send tech stocks down momentarily, the S&P 500 has yielded returns in most years since its inception.—
Michelle Del Rey,
USA Today,
28 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The law dropped the requirement to test drugs on animals for FDA approval when there’s other safety data from computer simulations or mini-organs satisfactory to regulators.—
Alex Knapp,
Forbes.com,
31 July 2025
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But because Cal West is building the park and will pay for its amenities, the city deemed the requirements satisfactory.—
Tammy Murga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 July 2025
Adjective
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But Douglas Luiz is their landmark signing of the summer, the addition that sends out a message to the rest of the Premier League — in a slightly different way to the one from this time three years ago — that Forest mean business.—
Paul Taylor,
New York Times,
22 Aug. 2025
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The 6–10 Day and 8–14 Day averages are then calculated by averaging all of the daily mean temperatures within their respective forecast periods, the agency says.—
Joe Edwards,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Second-rate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/second-rate. Accessed 31 Aug. 2025.
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