SECOND-CLASS Synonyms: 120 Similar and Opposite Words

second-class

adjective

ˈse-kən(d)-ˈklas

Definition of second-class next

as in inferior

of little or less value or merit a playwright who produced only second-class work when he turned his hand to poetry

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in decent

of average to below average quality it's only a second-class restaurant and not worth the high prices

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of second-class Mindanaoans had felt like second-class Filipinos for longer than the country had been independent. —

Sean Williams, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026 Women are second-class citizens and must cover their hair and wear loose-fitting clothing in all public spaces. —

Agustina Vergara Cid, Oc Register, 23 Jan. 2026 The teen has been charged with reckless homicide, a second-class felony, per the update. —

Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 12 Jan. 2026 Women were relegated to second-class citizens and gay and lesbian individuals were executed as a matter of public policy. —

Bobby Zirkin, Baltimore Sun, 8 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for second-class

Recent Examples of Synonyms for second-class

Adjective

Beaten 4-1 at Bolton Wanderers, Leeds were effectively relegated to the second tier with two games remaining because of their vastly inferior goal difference.

— Stuart James, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2026
During the Middle Ages, for example, many contemporary accounts from both Christian and Muslim societies depicted their opposing side as barbaric, blasphemous, and inferior.

— Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 19 Mar. 2026