1
as in decent
of average to below average quality
a second-rate song from a songwriter who has done much better
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
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
3
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
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Recent Examples of second-rate
Moreno said Bad Bunny is a second-rate performer and said his performing at the Super Bowl is a partisan choice.
—
Chad Murphy, Cincinnati Enquirer, 9 Oct. 2025
The freshman quarterback has faced second-rate competition thus far and has daunting matchups next month.
—Jon Wilner, Mercury News, 24 Sep. 2025
Occasionally held back by a very mid-'00s aesthetic and stylistic choices that come across second-rate David Lynch, No Smoking is nonetheless an effectively paranoid adaptation of King for another culture.
—James Grebey, Time, 12 Sep. 2025
The Hundred feels like a second-rate cartoon animation in comparison.
—Tim Ellis, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for second-rate
Chad Murphy, Cincinnati Enquirer, 9 Oct. 2025
The freshman quarterback has faced second-rate competition thus far and has daunting matchups next month.
—Jon Wilner, Mercury News, 24 Sep. 2025
Occasionally held back by a very mid-'00s aesthetic and stylistic choices that come across second-rate David Lynch, No Smoking is nonetheless an effectively paranoid adaptation of King for another culture.
—James Grebey, Time, 12 Sep. 2025
The Hundred feels like a second-rate cartoon animation in comparison.
—Tim Ellis, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for second-rate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for second-rate
Adjective
-
Johnson, who’s a restricted free agent, has a decent chance to be asked back on a low-money deal.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
15 Apr. 2026
-
The league’s celebrated new CBA made all these players rich, but did little for the Sparks, who were unable to make a dent in the league-wide free agent market and were out of decent draft picks and so must survive for one more season before getting a shot at JuJu Watkins.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
An autopsy revealed that Bryan’s spleen was intact, his liver was missing, and his inferior vena cava was severed.—
Andrew Cunningham,
ArsTechnica,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Pregnant women from the second trimester onward should also avoid it, as the growing uterus can compress the inferior vena cava.—
Allison Palmer,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Solar energy is still one of the cheapest forms of energy, and energy is in higher demand than ever, partly due to artificial intelligence data center construction.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 Apr. 2026
-
This new method uses iron, one of the most abundant and cheapest elements on Earth.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
17 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Establishing strong communication within your team is the key factor that differentiates a winning team from a mediocre one.—
Nancy Pulciano,
Rolling Stone,
20 Apr. 2026
-
If perfect is the enemy of good, then releasing middling attempts is an acknowledgement that artists must push past their mediocre ideas to uncover the gems that lay ahead.—
Nina Corcoran,
Pitchfork,
20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
There could be minor flooding in low-lying and poor drainage areas, periods of heavy rain and thunderstorms, and urban and small stream flooding.—
Brandon Downs,
CBS News,
11 Apr. 2026
-
There is at least some truth that social media use may cause a minor rise in dopamine levels, but not in a way that resembles drugs or qualifies as addiction.—
William Proctor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
11 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The Braves couldn’t overcome a poor start from Reynaldo López and saw their six-game winning streak fall by the wayside in an 11-4 loss to the Nationals on Tuesday at Nationals Park.—
Chad Bishop,
AJC.com,
22 Apr. 2026
-
In the days leading up to his fatal overdose, Prince was in poor health and was forced to cancel shows in Atlanta.—
Alex Gurley,
PEOPLE,
21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Be sure to triple-check that the details are satisfactory before signing anything.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
14 Apr. 2026
-
Privately, some writers walking the staff picket line still had faith in WGAW management to negotiate a satisfactory deal with the AMPTP amid the drama.—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The Colombian grandmother of my childhood summers was funny, mean, pious, and hard—despite being tremendously sensitive in her own way.—
Adriana E. Ramírez,
Literary Hub,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Its mean diameter — a standardized measurement of the distance from one side of the rock to the other — is 1,115 feet, roughly the size of three football fields.—
Emily Mae Czachor,
CBS News,
15 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Second-rate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/second-rate. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
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