SECOND-CLASS Synonyms: 120 Similar and Opposite Words

second-class

adjective

ˈse-kən(d)-ˈklas

Definition of second-class

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

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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 The question is whether companies can use the best agents against their own data, with fair economics, full auditability and equivalent access, without paying twice or accepting second-class performance. — Ankit Jain, Forbes.com, 29 May 2026 Other personnel issues include changing the number of first-class patrol officers from 29 to 32 and the number of second-class patrol officers from six to two. — Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 28 May 2026 Under this new system, women are made second-class citizens meant to serve men, with some, like Elisabeth Moss' June, forced to bear the children of the ruling class. — Tanya Melendez, Entertainment Weekly, 25 May 2026 As the latter became emblematic of comfort and success, the former came to be seen as down-market or second-class. — Lily Meyer, The Atlantic, 30 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for second-class

Recent Examples of Synonyms for second-class

Adjective

Over the last 15 years, employees have increasingly sued large employers over unnecessarily high fees or inferior investment options.

— Paul Kiel, ProPublica, 8 July 2026
The results have invariably been uglier, longer, inferior versions of films people already know and love, which provide a cheap rush of nostalgia but don’t offer any surprises or challenges.

— Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 8 July 2026

Definition of inferior

Adjective

This camper features a triangle glass wall on the front for a clear view of your stunning surroundings and plenty of natural light, but still a decent amount of privacy.

— Mia Huelsbeck, PEOPLE, 8 July 2026
Families pool money to pay the provider a decent hourly wage.

— R. Eric Thomas, Mercury News, 8 July 2026

Definition of decent

Adjective

On Thursday, the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office charged Ramon with lewd and lascivious acts on a minor, police said.

— Jason Green, Mercury News, 10 July 2026
Many of those convicted committed only minor offenses, such as traffic violations, according to Syracuse University’s Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse.

— Mathew Miranda July 9, Sacbee.com, 10 July 2026

Definition of minor

Adjective

All this whining about online hate and fans being mean and blah, blah, blah.

— Zach Dean OutKick, FOXNews.com, 6 July 2026
This doesn’t relate to AI replacing jobs, but rather, an increase in the number of enterprise launches accomplished in a leaner-and-meaner fashion than ever before.

— Joe McKendrick, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026

Definition of mean

Adjective

The fifth season will have a really hard time wrapping up everything in a satisfactory way at this point.

— Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026
Kelley said the company believed the existing easement was satisfactory and wasn’t told otherwise until after investing years of work on he project.

— Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 29 June 2026

Definition of satisfactory

Adjective

Internal guidelines provided to the court as part of the lawsuit show that officers are limited in storing items that do not fit in a 55-gallon bag — 9 gallons less than a medium-size municipal garbage bin in Sacramento.

— Ariane Lange, Sacbee.com, 8 July 2026
Cover, increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, until the quinoa is tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

— The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 July 2026

Definition of medium

Adjective

Some with the club, however, were concerned that the team’s current 26-8 run, following a disappointing 26-34 start, came mostly against mediocre opponents.

— Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 10 July 2026
Innovative mechanics and a soothing stretch mode make the LiberNovo Omni memorable, but its mediocre support ultimately overshadows its technical achievements.

— Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 9 July 2026

Definition of mediocre

Browse Nearby Words

second childhood

second-class

seconded

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Style

“Second-class.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/second-class. Accessed 13 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of second-class

adjective

Example Sentences

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