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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of second-class
Mainstream society, generally intent on grooming doctors, lawyers, accountants, scientists, engineers, and computer coders, perceived a student learning a working-class skilled trade as somehow lowly, poorly compensated, a second-class citizen.
—
Stephen Tave, Fortune, 5 Nov. 2025
All’s Fair begins with an introduction to beleaguered lawyers Allura Grant (Kardashian) and Liberty Ronson (Naomi Watts), who’ve suffered for years at a patriarchal, misogynist firm that treats them like second-class citizens.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2025
The only character who seems entirely transparent is Frederik, who can’t hide his resentment of his second-class spousal status or his contempt for the sycophants and mediocrities who cling to his wife like barnacles.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 3 Oct. 2025
The obvious need for something to lift up Latino students, who might otherwise be doomed to second-class citizenship, does not matter to the folks opposed to the HSI funding.
—Thomas Elias, Mercury News, 9 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for second-class
Stephen Tave, Fortune, 5 Nov. 2025
All’s Fair begins with an introduction to beleaguered lawyers Allura Grant (Kardashian) and Liberty Ronson (Naomi Watts), who’ve suffered for years at a patriarchal, misogynist firm that treats them like second-class citizens.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2025
The only character who seems entirely transparent is Frederik, who can’t hide his resentment of his second-class spousal status or his contempt for the sycophants and mediocrities who cling to his wife like barnacles.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 3 Oct. 2025
The obvious need for something to lift up Latino students, who might otherwise be doomed to second-class citizenship, does not matter to the folks opposed to the HSI funding.
—Thomas Elias, Mercury News, 9 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for second-class
Recent Examples of Synonyms for second-class
Adjective
-
The Heat had beat up on inferior opponents this season before Saturday’s ugly loss to the Pacers.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
11 Jan. 2026
-
The result is an inferior copy of the original.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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To be sure, that was a decent salary back then, and would be equivalent to roughly $114,000 today.—
Sydney Lake,
Fortune,
8 Jan. 2026
-
On Wednesday, the Tigers earned a commitment from former Mississippi State offensive lineman Luke Work, who has decent experience at every position along the offensive line except center.—
Quentin Corpuel,
Kansas City Star,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The most minor miscalculation can botch a landing.—
Marcus Thompson II,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Its versatile uses range from nourishing the lips to minor wound care—helping maintain hydration along the way.—
Kathleen Baird-Murray,
Vogue,
6 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Filming the stairs and seeing the response affirmed that her experience was, in fact, out of the ordinary.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
8 Jan. 2026
-
That means ordinary users cannot easily guess when Gen AI is reliable.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
People want to write mean things.—
Janelle Ash , Larry Fink,
FOXNews.com,
10 Jan. 2026
-
The Old Pal is like a Negroni, but meaner.—
Jeremy Repanich,
Robb Report,
10 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
But the Outback is satisfactory in both categories.—
James Raia,
Mercury News,
11 Jan. 2026
-
Storage Solutions Just one simple medicine cabinet in the bathroom is no longer satisfactory for today's homebuyers, who crave an abundance of storage.—
Sarah Lyon,
The Spruce,
30 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
Place eggs, half-and-half, flour, and baking powder in a blender; process on medium speed until smooth and slightly foamy, about 30 seconds.—
Ivy Odom,
Southern Living,
11 Jan. 2026
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Many appreciate that the wide and medium-width options allow for a more accurate fit, too.—
Averi Baudler,
PEOPLE,
10 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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And what this array of talents had gotten them was a shitty job in a town outside Munich in the second division of a mediocre German league.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Jan. 2026
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The final conclusion on the draftees and free agents is likely similar to the final conclusion on each these seasons — mediocre-ish.—
Chris Perkins,
Sun Sentinel,
5 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Second-class.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/second-class. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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