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
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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
No one wants polluted air and water, but no American wants to live in a second-rate nation.
—
Suwanna Gauntlett Upjohn, Forbes.com, 4 July 2025
But the paucity of high-level talent across those 12 programs reflects the second-rate state of college basketball in the West.
—Jon Wilner, Mercury News, 28 June 2025
The scandal led to a divorce, followed by Fred’s relocation to a second-rate college on the West Coast—everything had been predictable, stale like last week’s bread.
—Yiyun Li, New Yorker, 15 June 2025
The father, Buddy Smart (Bryan Cranston), is the clan’s second-rate crackpot visionary, a cockeyed optimist who dresses in fuddy-duddy jackets and never knows where the next paycheck is coming from.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 11 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for second-rate
Suwanna Gauntlett Upjohn, Forbes.com, 4 July 2025
But the paucity of high-level talent across those 12 programs reflects the second-rate state of college basketball in the West.
—Jon Wilner, Mercury News, 28 June 2025
The scandal led to a divorce, followed by Fred’s relocation to a second-rate college on the West Coast—everything had been predictable, stale like last week’s bread.
—Yiyun Li, New Yorker, 15 June 2025
The father, Buddy Smart (Bryan Cranston), is the clan’s second-rate crackpot visionary, a cockeyed optimist who dresses in fuddy-duddy jackets and never knows where the next paycheck is coming from.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 11 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for second-rate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for second-rate
Adjective
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Young and the offense may only get one series of work — head coach Dave Canales only wants that unit to play 8-12 plays, and all of that could be eaten up with a decent first drive.—
Scott Fowler,
Charlotte Observer,
7 Aug. 2025
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Only a few Braves have been good at it, and too many of them cost the team repeatedly in close games when merely decent RISP hitting would make a difference.—
David O'Brien,
New York Times,
7 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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In this now-infamous opinion, Taney declared that Black Americans were inferior and had no rights under the US Constitution.—
Kathleen Toner,
CNN Money,
1 Aug. 2025
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The creation of a tunnel that could bypass the most congested areas on the way to BNA would make the conventional route comparatively inferior.—
Charles Singh,
The Tennessean,
29 July 2025
Adjective
-
Yet 80% of charging happens not at public plazas but in garages, where electricity is cheap and parking is certain.—
Carlos Georgescu,
Forbes.com,
13 Aug. 2025
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The new numbers suggest that slowing rent increases and cheaper gas are offsetting some impacts of President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
13 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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In a season of parity and mediocre first-place teams, the Mariners are trying to set themselves apart.—
Grant Brisbee,
New York Times,
31 July 2025
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And prospects are mediocre for the coming months, given the 15% tariff, or import tax, imposed on European goods in the U.S. under the EU-U.S. trade deal announced Sunday.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
30 July 2025
Adjective
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In April, the government quietly revoked the visas of thousands of students who had allegedly committed minor legal infractions before abruptly reversing the policy.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
7 Aug. 2025
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While two people are said to have been seriously injured, the others are being treated for minor injuries, according to Xinhua.—
Gabrielle Rockson,
People.com,
7 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Additionally, over-saturating with water is a poor choice for these floors.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
16 Aug. 2025
-
Specifically, poor capital allocation decisions have destroyed significant value.—
Kenneth Squire,
CNBC,
16 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Development of the two latter categories is not particularly satisfactory, Hugo Boss conceded.—
Cathrin Schaer,
Footwear News,
5 Aug. 2025
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Those sellers must be enrolled in a production services program, have a report showing the animals producing their milk have been tested for pathogens and have a satisfactory farm water test on file.—
Brian Niemietz,
New York Daily News,
5 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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There aren’t many actors, after all, who can convincingly play both sad-sack real estate salesman Shelly Levene in a Broadway production of Glengarry Glen Ross and a lean, mean killing machine.—
Frank Scheck,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Aug. 2025
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The researchers recruited 68 adults, with a mean age of 64, who had confirmed medial knee OA.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
12 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Second-rate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/second-rate. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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