SECOND-RATE Synonyms: 182 Similar and Opposite Words

second-rate

adjective

ˌse-kən(d)-ˈrāt

Definition of second-rate

as in decent

of average to below average quality a second-rate song from a songwriter who has done much better

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in inferior

of little or less value or merit a second-rate company that was never considered among the top manufacturers of televisions

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in cheap

of low quality second-rate goods specifically manufactured for the low end of the market

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-rate The animation features a lot of rotoscoping, and the result is an aesthetic that’s both oddly fluid and charmingly cheap, like some second-rate Ralph Bakshi effort. — Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 18 Mar. 2026 LaFleur could never find the winning formula during Green Bay’s second-rate, 8-9 season in 2022, then Gutekunst traded Rodgers to the New York Jets 3 ½ months later. — Rob Reischel, Forbes.com, 15 Mar. 2026 For those who don't know his story, Darnold has gone through so much during his last eight seasons, including being pushed around the league like a second-rate quarterback and being called a bust by many in the profession. — Noe Padilla, USA Today, 9 Feb. 2026 Maybe then the United States will care about slipping to second-rate. — Noah Shachtman, Wired News, 13 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for second-rate

Recent Examples of Synonyms for second-rate

Adjective

Toure has been decent, too, flashing down the wing and firing in crosses.

— George Caulkin, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
Democrats had a decent night in Florida’s nonpartisan elections, led by their wins on the Sarasota County school board.

— David Weigel, semafor.com, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of decent

Adjective

But those three road losses were either in the postseason to a top-two team, at Oregon or the inexplicable 2024 loss to a far inferior Michigan team in The Game.

— Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 17 Aug. 2026
The main disagreement centers on what the union says are inferior pay scales compared with nonunion workers.

— A.D. Quig, Chicago Tribune, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of inferior

Adjective

Culturelle probiotics tend to be cheaper than Align products and are ideal for those with frequent diarrhea.

— BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2026
Birmingham26, the organisers, say that half of their 250,000 tickets — across morning and evening sessions — are £30 or cheaper.

— Liam Tharme, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of cheap

Adjective

Fernandes has some concerns as a lower volume striker, and his wrestling is mediocre.

— Brett Appley, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2026
But that enthusiasm once led him to buy five wooden boxes in a single haul, several of which were mediocre and three of which needed repairs.

— Rachel Silva, Martha Stewart, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of mediocre

Adjective

Many higher education institutions have started offering classes focused on the burgeoning content creation industry over the past couple years, and several have certificate or minor programs.

— ABC News, ABC News, 14 Aug. 2026
On Friday, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported two identical incidents of drone strikes on tankers in Hormuz a day earlier, causing minor damage but no casualties.

— Frank Andrews, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of minor

Adjective

On the other lies a park in one of the Bronx’s poorest communities, built on the site of the former Yankee Stadium after the old home of the Yankees was torn down in 2009 and 2010.

— Sam Blum, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
Iran’s economy was in a dire state before the war too, with poor economic conditions a key driving factor behind the anti-regime demonstrations which kicked off in the Iranian capital city Tehran in 2025.

— Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of poor

Adjective

By contrast, state inspection records from 2025 and the first weeks of 2026, just days after Calvo took office in January, show the city’s pool facilities were consistently rated satisfactory.

— Verónica Egui Brito, Miami Herald, 11 Aug. 2026
For someone who is dogmatic, or has a strong commitment to evangelism, this may not be satisfactory.

— R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 10 Aug. 2026