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
Relevance
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
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
In a world where kids are often treated like second-class citizens who should be seen and not heard, Janine brings a refreshing perspective toward children.
—
Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 17 Apr. 2025
But because of their Palestinian identity, they are confined to second-class citizenship by laws enshrining the country’s Jewish character and by discriminatory practices intended to prevent them from achieving equality with Jewish Israelis.
—Asad Ghanem, Foreign Affairs, 9 Apr. 2025
His PlayStation could technically be categorized as a second-class relic, the Church’s classification for a saint’s personal belongings.
—Emily Harnett, Harpers Magazine, 28 Mar. 2025
But a few issues Christensen perennially battled over in Congress leave the Islanders as effective second-class citizens: the inability to vote for president and the fact that Medicaid funding is capped, unlike for states.
—Michael Loria, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for second-class
Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 17 Apr. 2025
But because of their Palestinian identity, they are confined to second-class citizenship by laws enshrining the country’s Jewish character and by discriminatory practices intended to prevent them from achieving equality with Jewish Israelis.
—Asad Ghanem, Foreign Affairs, 9 Apr. 2025
His PlayStation could technically be categorized as a second-class relic, the Church’s classification for a saint’s personal belongings.
—Emily Harnett, Harpers Magazine, 28 Mar. 2025
But a few issues Christensen perennially battled over in Congress leave the Islanders as effective second-class citizens: the inability to vote for president and the fact that Medicaid funding is capped, unlike for states.
—Michael Loria, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for second-class
Recent Examples of Synonyms for second-class
Adjective
-
Robbins: Is the East an inferior conference compared to the West?—
Eric Koreen,
New York Times,
14 May 2025
-
Before and after each game, Warriors coach Steve Kerr has talked about how Golden State has to play with pace, execute the gameplan defensively and win the possession battle — basically, all of the controllables that an inferior team in a matchup has to execute in order to pull off an upset.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
13 May 2025
Adjective
-
Edwards landed a decent percentage of his strikes at 66 percent, but the pressure from Muhammad limited his attempts to just 71 significant strikes.—
Trent Reinsmith,
Forbes.com,
4 May 2025
-
And even after the outings that are just decent, the Phillies can see it.—
Matt Gelb,
New York Times,
3 May 2025
Adjective
-
In some cases, lawyers said students had their legal statuses altered for minor traffic violations, such as unpaid parking tickets.—
Zachary Schermele,
USA Today,
16 May 2025
-
Nina and Jim are forced to work overtime to re-center key story components that get lost amid more minor twists and turns.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
15 May 2025
Adjective
-
Tossing in a load of wash at home sounds ordinary and harmless.—
Khloe Quill,
FOXNews.com,
8 May 2025
-
The royal family joined the 1,800-strong congregation in a national two-minute silence to reflect on and remember the sacrifices and heroism of the armed forces and the stoicism of ordinary people during the war.—
Simon Perry,
People.com,
8 May 2025
Adjective
-
By 2021, the mean age of France’s 56 reactors was 36.1 years.—
Daniel Markind,
Forbes.com,
9 May 2025
-
Right after, Order 66 kicks off with Anakin (now Darth Vader) murdering Jocasta Nu (the mean Jedi library lady) in cold blood.—
Fran Ruiz,
Space.com,
5 May 2025
Adjective
-
The Air Quality Index (AQI), developed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), measures air pollution on a scale from 0 to 500: 0-50 (Green): Good—air quality is satisfactory.—
Joe Edwards,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 May 2025
-
In finding the right fit and tailoring these systems, a clear understanding of your business priorities and pain points can go a long way in choosing a satisfactory solution.—
Shiv Kaushik,
Forbes.com,
25 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Enter Kristin Ess Signature Hair Gloss, a shine-boosting solution that comes in eight hues, ranging from Smoky Topaz (a medium, natural bronde) to Ruby (medium red).—
Jenny Berg,
Allure,
2 May 2025
-
In a heavy medium saucepan whisk together cooled milk, whole eggs, egg yolks, 1/4 tsp.—
Sarah Martens,
Better Homes & Gardens,
2 May 2025
Adjective
-
The other sides who recorded good finishes despite a mediocre goal difference tended to be cautious, cagey teams.—
Michael Cox,
New York Times,
16 May 2025
-
Still, Wallen possesses a kind of uncanny magnetism that, for better or worse, can elevate a mediocre song.—
Amanda Petrusich,
New Yorker,
16 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Second-class.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/second-class. Accessed 20 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share