1
as in decent
of average to below average quality
a second-rate song from a songwriter who has done much better
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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
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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
-
Kochanowicz got off to a decent start, despite getting hit in the foot by a sharp comebacker.—
Jeff Fletcher,
Oc Register,
27 May 2026
-
Overall, Edeme does feel like the industry, including mainstream media outlets, have done a decent job in giving her her flowers.—
Susan Akyeampong,
Allure,
27 May 2026
Adjective
-
Additionally, their overall air defense capabilities have been greatly constrained by their lack of AIM-120 air-to-air missiles, leaving them with inferior, much less reliable, shorter-range missiles.—
Paul Iddon,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
-
Joseph maintained she was retaliated against by the athletic department for complaining about the inferior treatment of her team and the coaching staff.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
27 May 2026
Adjective
-
Strained by tighter budgets and product price increases, more shoppers are willing to ditch their favorite brand for a cheaper alternative, a new study finds.—
Betty Lin-Fisher,
USA Today,
29 May 2026
-
The simpler, cheaper, more snow-friendly autonomous driving hardware is welcome, too.—
Andrew Nusca,
Fortune,
29 May 2026
Adjective
-
Companies are becoming more demanding and results-driven, which reflects the urgency created by a rapidly evolving competitive landscape, overlooked mediocre performance, bloated costs, and years of declining share prices.—
Julian Hayes II,
Forbes.com,
24 May 2026
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Remember last year’s mediocre Michigan team?—
Joe Rexrode,
New York Times,
21 May 2026
Adjective
-
Some lawns may only need a minor nutrient application, which is usually permitted at any time.—
Tom MacCubbin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
30 May 2026
-
Rumfield’s minor-league numbers were strong, but he was blocked in the Bronx by Ben Rice, who has become a star at first base.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
30 May 2026
Adjective
-
At this point the Red Sox are in serious danger, and the only reason the club is even within striking distance of a playoff spot is because the rest of the American League has been so poor.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
27 May 2026
-
Putumayo is one of Colombia’s poorest and most troubled regions.—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
27 May 2026
Adjective
-
At this price point, the panel is satisfactory.—
Ben Sin,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2026
-
And it’s been met with satisfactory approval.—
Jaylon Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
17 May 2026
Adjective
-
Teen Choice Awards for her time as iconic mean girl Blair Waldorf on Gossip Girl?—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
29 May 2026
-
In the meantime, the swarm of online trolls in the Raygun thread got bolder and meaner.—
Lyz Lenz,
Rolling Stone,
28 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Second-rate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/second-rate. Accessed 2 Jun. 2026.
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