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 current system buys shareholder returns for the primes and second-rate capability for those in uniform. — Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 20 May 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for second-rate

Recent Examples of Synonyms for second-rate

Adjective

Even the smallest Essential rooms are a decent size; some, such as Poolside, have a generous, curved balcony overlooking the action below.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Nov. 2026
Much of that growth is expected to occur on the north, south and east sides of the city, where there’s still a decent amount of open space.

— Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Nov. 2026

Definition of decent

Adjective

The idea is to sound like an inferior buck in the brush, one that is roaming around a mature deer’s space and getting on his nerves.

— Michael Hanback, Outdoor Life, 14 Oct. 2026
Only 272 yards, at home, against a UCLA team that unquestionably has inferior talent?

— Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of inferior

Adjective

For context, the 27-inch ELF-SR2 sells for around ¥550,000 in Japan, so this is a dramatically cheaper way into Sony's 3D ecosystem, landing in the same ballpark as the $299 Looking Glass Go.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 5 Nov. 2026
This year’s conflict has shown the relative ease with which cheap drones can slip past some of the world’s most expensive air defense systems and hit pipelines, ports, and ships.

— Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 5 Nov. 2026

Definition of cheap

Adjective

They were blown out 31-3 by Ole Miss, lost to what's clearly a mediocre Mississippi State team, though at least that was with Kamario Taylor, but their big win over Florida now looks much less impressive considering the Gators' collapse.

— Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 3 Nov. 2026
The best, the least mediocre, unfortunately, is Tadao Ando, the better of whose work derives from Kahn, the plain modular rectangles made of concrete framed by verticals and, less clear even in Kahn, the geometric cuts and sections.

— Julian Rose, Artforum, 1 Nov. 2026

Definition of mediocre

Adjective

Raymar Fraser, 41, was arrested and charged with kidnapping, battery, and interfering with the custody of a minor.

— Abby Dodge, CBS News, 11 Nov. 2026
Left-hander Braxton Garrett is out of minor-league options and must be on the pitching staff in some capacity.

— Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 11 Nov. 2026

Definition of minor

Adjective

Nearby residents have argued that the large apartment complex will be a poor fit for their neighborhood, citing concerns about traffic congestion and fire department access, among other things.

— Barbara Henry, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Nov. 2026
The Lions’ high-flying offense is at its best on turf, not nearly as fast on grass, and their poor red zone defense has been an issue.

— Hank Gola, New York Daily News, 7 Nov. 2026

Definition of poor

Adjective

Why not, then, return to 2016 spending amounts which seemed satisfactory at the time?

— Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Oct. 2026
Harriot quickly found a convenient formula for how many were arranged in a square pyramid based on the number in the bottom row and was able to present Raleigh with a satisfactory solution.

— Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of satisfactory

Adjective

Thus a sibling rivalry is born — turns out that Cinderella is also the mean stepsister that somebody else hates.

— Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 10 Nov. 2026
In addition, the current El Niño is expected to continue into early 2027 and boost annual global mean temperatures.

— Oliver Trapnell, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Nov. 2026