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 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 For three months, Turner’s college football programming has been limited to second-rate Big 12 games, with Fox and ESPN retaining rights to the conference’s most appealing matchups. — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 19 Dec. 2025 Meanwhile, TPUs are far from a second-rate technology. — Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 17 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for second-rate

Recent Examples of Synonyms for second-rate

Adjective

But at a time when the physical element of football is at risk of overpowering the technical side, a decent fix is playing matches in conditions where relentless sprinting simply isn’t possible.

— Michael Cox, New York Times, 22 July 2026
But Nickel had a solid spring, flashing a strong arm, decent accuracy and an ability to throw deftly on the run.

— Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 21 July 2026

Definition of decent

Adjective

The cheapest ticket available as of Wednesday was going for $7,451.

— Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 17 July 2026
But that mandate has always been balanced with the desire for economic expansion, which is boosted by, oftentimes, cheaper labor and manufacturing costs from importing goods overseas.

— Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 16 July 2026

Definition of cheap

Adjective

Netflix’s decade-plus run of TV dominance means Wall Street and others judge it on an unforgiving curve, and when issues crop up — like this last stretch of mediocre ratings — folks are going to take notice.

— Josef Adalian, Vulture, 16 July 2026
By spinning in flight at between 15 and 25 Hz, Phantom Twist takes advantage of humans’ decidedly mediocre visual system to turn a solid spinning object into an opaque smear.

— IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 16 July 2026

Definition of mediocre

Adjective

The projectile caused minor structural damage, but there were no injuries among the crew and the ship has continued its journey, the report said.

— Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 17 July 2026
The project cost is estimated at $85,000, according to a permit for minor tenant improvements submitted to the city.

— Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 16 July 2026

Definition of minor

Adjective

Madrid had a poor 2024-25, failing to win the Spanish title or the Champions League, but Mbappe still scored 42 goals in 44 appearances.

— Tim Spiers, New York Times, 21 July 2026
Using Neanderthal cranium shapes to estimate specific brain regions’ volume, some investigators claimed to see signs of a mind with feeble linguistic abilities, poor executive function and an unremarkable memory.

— Cody Cottier, Scientific American, 20 July 2026

Definition of poor

Adjective

The fifth season will have a really hard time wrapping up everything in a satisfactory way at this point.

— Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026
Kelley said the company believed the existing easement was satisfactory and wasn’t told otherwise until after investing years of work on he project.

— Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 29 June 2026