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

Food and drink The property’s on-site restaurant serves decent New American fare in a room that offers the same excellent views as the penthouses, or on the hotel’s delightful terrace during the warmer months.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Sep. 2026
Iwelumo was a decent, albeit nomadic, forward who played professionally for almost two decades.

— Amitai Winehouse, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of decent

Adjective

Far from inferior, these trees, which can look like pines with long droopy needles and reddish-orange flowers, host a large diversity of bugs beyond Swiftiephylys, creating a popular hangout for the six-legged beasts.

— Brad Balukjian, Rolling Stone, 9 Sep. 2026
Gwyn’s, however, who Richard considers to be his inferior, has jettisoned into success and is in the running for a huge literary prize.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of inferior

Adjective

But that does not mean residents will suddenly see a cheaper water bill.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 10 Sep. 2026
His latest book, Three Tenses, a well as his Pulitzer Prize finalist Same Bed Different Dreams, are complex without resorting to gimmicks or cheap obfuscation that implies depth.

— James Folta, Literary Hub, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of cheap

Adjective

The Jays will need many moments in the next month to turn this mediocre season into one worth remembering.

— Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
The mediocre screen was an unpleasant surprise given that this thing advertised 100 percent sRGB gamut coverage when it was announced and on its product page for many weeks (the Internet Archive captures it here).

— ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of mediocre

Adjective

Once in orbit at L2, only minor burns once every 28 days are needed for station keeping — a negligible amount of fuel.

— Keith Cooper, Space.com, 15 Sep. 2026
Everyone wants better decisions, particularly when their own team is on the wrong end of an injustice, minor or major.

— Oliver Kay, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of minor

Adjective

The following season, Chelsea topped their Champions League group, but poor Premier League form saw Mourinho sacked in mid-December.

— Dermot Corrigan, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
Many are in poor shape, with thin, uninsulated walls, leaky windows, old or broken swamp coolers and electrical systems that can't always handle air conditioners.

— Alejandra Borunda, NPR, 7 Sep. 2026

Definition of poor

Adjective

Not ready for prime time The video-generation technology rarely gets the content right on its first try, Sun said, adding that her team takes at least 10 attempts to create a satisfactory 15-second clip.

— Ling Wei, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2026
The ride quality in my tester was more than satisfactory; a good thing given the infamous Atlanta traffic.

— Jerry Perez, The Drive, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of satisfactory

Adjective

Those movies are mean and funny, while this one is just mean.

— Katie Rife, IndieWire, 14 Sep. 2026
Sally and Gillian blend up some mean frozen margaritas — a Frances and Jet tradition — during the reception, which is held on the old house’s moonlit lawn.

— Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Sep. 2026