1
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
2
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
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Recent Examples of second-class
Having second-class citizens of color in a country that touted its democracy and model as the best-in-the-world was a real liability during WWII.
—
Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 10 Aug. 2025
On the weekend of August 9, the Okmulgee Roy LeBlanc Invitational Rodeo marks its 70th year, the legacy of two dozen Black businessmen, farmers and ranchers frustrated with the second-class treatment accorded to Black rodeo competitors and their fans in the 1950s.
—Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 9 Aug. 2025
By prioritizing detention facilities and deportation before the ever-persistent needs of Florida constituents, taxpayers have become second-class citizens in their own state.
—Victoria MacHado, Sun Sentinel, 3 Aug. 2025
The 2018 Nation-State Law and other regulations have deepened these grievances, leaving many Druze feeling like second-class citizens.
—Faisal J. Abbas, semafor.com, 28 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for second-class
Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 10 Aug. 2025
On the weekend of August 9, the Okmulgee Roy LeBlanc Invitational Rodeo marks its 70th year, the legacy of two dozen Black businessmen, farmers and ranchers frustrated with the second-class treatment accorded to Black rodeo competitors and their fans in the 1950s.
—Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 9 Aug. 2025
By prioritizing detention facilities and deportation before the ever-persistent needs of Florida constituents, taxpayers have become second-class citizens in their own state.
—Victoria MacHado, Sun Sentinel, 3 Aug. 2025
The 2018 Nation-State Law and other regulations have deepened these grievances, leaving many Druze feeling like second-class citizens.
—Faisal J. Abbas, semafor.com, 28 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for second-class
Recent Examples of Synonyms for second-class
Adjective
-
As Ansari noted in our discussion, this psychological trap can lead founders to accept inferior deal terms simply to claim a higher valuation.—
Kwame Christian Esq,
Forbes.com,
28 Aug. 2025
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Such a tragedy should never have happened in the happy, harmonious society that Xi claims to have created, free of the violence and divisions that plague other, inferior countries.—
Michael Schuman,
The Atlantic,
26 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Before the hit, Ketler had a decent amount of muscle mass from his intensive training schedule and working in landscaping the summer before, which his doctors would later tell him probably saved his life.—
Luke Chinman,
People.com,
3 Sep. 2025
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Safety in school might mean a decent cafeteria lunch, or access to a nurse down the hall, or being treated with dignity regardless of one’s gender identity.—
Jessica Winter,
New Yorker,
3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Use them to freshen up during a layover or deal with a minor spill.—
Alesandra Dubin,
Travel + Leisure,
29 Aug. 2025
-
Tariffs, smelter delays, and fluctuating aluminum prices represent significant risks, and with shares already priced for cyclical uncertainty, even minor setbacks could maintain pressure on the stock.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
29 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Yet the player was able to use data to his own advantage to show that his behaviour in these fixtures was not out of the ordinary.—
Philip Buckingham,
New York Times,
4 Sep. 2025
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If troops in our capital feel ordinary, then so do other abuses.—
Aron Solomon
September 3,
Literary Hub,
3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The mean first frost date in the city is September 20, based on data between 1991 and 2020, according to the NWS.—
Matthew Robinson,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Sep. 2025
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Even if it’s artfully made and grippingly acted — 9m88 and Chiu are convincing as two of the meanest parents ever seen in an arthouse movie — Girl can be a tedious exercise to sit through, especially in its early sections.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
On a scale of one to five, an average or satisfactory experience is a three.—
Shep Hyken,
Forbes.com,
31 Aug. 2025
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Of those, six — including five children — are in satisfactory condition.—
NBC News,
NBC news,
29 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Stir in mustard, vinegar, and molasses; reduce heat to medium-low, and stir in remaining 4 tablespoons butter until melted and sauce is slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
30 Aug. 2025
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Small crafts include owners of small to medium sized motor and sail boats, affecting fisherman, para-sailors, windsurfers and canoe paddlers.—
Sarah Moore,
Freep.com,
29 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Many will no longer accept mediocre or sub-par service.—
Shep Hyken,
Forbes.com,
31 Aug. 2025
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West Virginia finished the 2024 season with a mediocre 6-7 record in the Big 12.—
Ben Verbrugge,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Second-class.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/second-class. Accessed 5 Sep. 2025.
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