SECONDS Synonyms: 85 Similar and Opposite Words

seconds 1 of 3

noun (1)

plural of second

as in minutes

a very small space of time I'll be ready in a second

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

seconds

2 of 3

noun (2)

plural of second

as in discards

something separated from a group or lot for not being as good as the others the slightly flawed linens were sold as seconds

Synonyms & Similar Words

seconds

3 of 3

verb

present tense third-person singular of second

as in sides (with)

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

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 seconds

Noun

Add the shrimp to the pan and cook for approximately 30-45 seconds per side. — ABC News, 24 Aug. 2026 Her first touch in just 28 seconds led to a rebound goal, evening it at 2 in the 68th minute. — Phuoc Nguyen, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2026 But with Russell 11 seconds behind Norris and Antonelli lapping faster, Mercedes ordered a position swap, sacrificing Russell’s potential points gain. — Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2026 Romero did solid work being first in the early action, but Lopez stole the round with two counter shots in the final 30 seconds. — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026 With 8 seconds left in the first half, the Buccaneers went for it on 4th-and-5 from the Chiefs’ 49-yard line. — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 23 Aug. 2026 That was a sharp improvement from 2025, when the winning robot’s time was more than 20 seconds. — Reuters, NBC news, 23 Aug. 2026 Taylor splashed a wide-open triple from the top of the arc with 30 seconds to go to give tie the game, and then broke the visitors hearts to improve the Sky’s record to 14-22. — Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 22 Aug. 2026 During laboratory trials, the battery charged from a 10 percent state of charge to 70 percent in three minutes and 41 seconds. — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 22 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for seconds

Noun

Howard hit four 3-pointers as the Dream led 14-3 less than four minutes into the game.

— ABC News, ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026
Their felicitous four-handed rendition lasted just under six minutes.

— George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Aug. 2026

Definition of minutes

Noun

And defunct iIndustry supplied artistic entrepreneurs with adaptable real-estate discards, like London’s Bankside Power Station, which evolved into Herzog & de Meuron’s Tate Modern.

— Justin Davidson, Curbed, 29 July 2026
Li has dedicated freezer bags for different dishes, like vegetable scraps for soups or fruit discards for smoothies.

— Emily Siner, NPR, 27 June 2026

Definition of discards

Noun

Simpson was diagnosed with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, a rare heart condition that can cause irregular heartbeats and sudden cardiac death in seemingly healthy individuals, per John Hopkins Medicine.

— Raven Brunner, PEOPLE, 20 Aug. 2026
Everything in the body runs in vibratory cycles from heartbeats to brainwaves to sleep-wake cycles.

— Ginny Whitelaw, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026

Definition of heartbeats

Verb

The Ocean Between Them costars Riverdale’s Karl Walcott, and Dane appears as Ashley, Joan’s youngest daughter, who aids her in the search.

— Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Aug. 2026
Under Nevada law, someone who aids or abets a crime—or encourages, hires, commands, or otherwise induces another person to commit it—can be prosecuted as a principal.

— Rebecca Schneid, Time, 16 Aug. 2026

Definition of aids

Noun

That may still be the case in the coming weeks, but the second episode of HBO’s Lanterns makes for a fairly solid (if simple and straightforward) follow-up with some wildly entertaining moments.

— Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 24 Aug. 2026
Shifting from summer’s swimwear, the brand’s new drop makes for statement-making moments with individual versatile pieces for the months ahead.

— Julia Teti, Footwear News, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of moments

Verb

But behind the trend is a food with a nutritional profile that helps explain why sardines have attracted so much attention in the first place.

— Olivia LaBorde, AJC.com, 20 Aug. 2026
For shopper Kori Farmer, The Grocery Spot helps stretch her budget while giving her access to fresh food close to home.

— Jamal Goss, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of helps

Cite this Entry

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“Seconds.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/seconds. Accessed 27 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of seconds

noun (1)

noun (2)

verb

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