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

Body-camera video shows Duran firing seconds after Fortson opened the door holding a handgun pointed down; the disturbance report that sent the deputy there was false. — Corey Williams, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026 That machine set a global benchmark in January 2025 by holding plasma heated to 100 million degrees Celsius (180 million degrees Fahrenheit) for 1,066 seconds. — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 2 Oct. 2026 Not as incredible as the absolute chaos that took place in the 60 seconds after the call. — Zach Dean Outkick, FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2026 The seconds-long loop consists of a purple image of a tank silhouette moving rapidly across the picture plane and patterned with what resemble dithered approximations of analog video interference. — Simon Denny, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026 The jet dove more than 14,000 feet in under 30 seconds, flight data showed. — Ivan Pereira, ABC News, 1 Oct. 2026 The residents also projected a slick video (narrated by a British actor and viewed by Deadline) that talked about how the residents hear screams every 20 to 40 seconds, which averages out to 1,000 screams a day, 365,000 a year. — Lynette Rice, Deadline, 30 Sep. 2026 The, just seven seconds later, the two players got entangled again. — Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 30 Sep. 2026 What happens not more than 30 seconds later is Bradley doing exactly that. — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 30 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for seconds

Noun

Those games became the first in Summer Olympic history to publish invaluable epidemiologic data such as diagnoses, core temperatures, and minutes-to-cool, which continue to inform Olympic planning.

— Vibhu Krishna, STAT, 2 Oct. 2026
The handful of Israeli passengers grappled with the copilot for several minutes before subduing him and binding his hands with the cord from a set of headphones.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 2 Oct. 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

Verb

In the film, which earned more than $598 million worldwide, Tillman portrays Captain Bledsoe, a submarine operator who assists Ethan Hunt (played by Tom Cruise) in his mission to defeat an artificial intelligence villain.

— Laura Payne, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Oct. 2026
Its robotic guidance assists surgeons during the implant placement process by providing real-time navigation and exceptional precision while still allowing the surgeon to maintain complete clinical control.

— Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of assists

Noun

Others include Rafael Lozano-Hemmer’s light and sound installation Pulse Topology (2021), installed in 2023, in which visitors’ heartbeats inform the pulse of lights hanging overhead.

— Francesca Aton, ARTnews.com, 4 Sep. 2026
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

Definition of heartbeats

Verb

This step introduces air into the eggs, which aids in leavening and keeps the blondies from baking up too dense.

— Martha Stewart, Martha Stewart, 27 Sep. 2026
The absence of the SLC women and their tension with Barlow aids the convivial atmosphere, but Lisa isn’t completely safe from a whacking.

— Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of aids

Noun

But moments before the nosedive, passengers seated near the front of the plane heard sounds of a fight inside the cockpit, said passenger Daniel Schlichter, who was seated in the second row.

— SAM MEDNICK, Arkansas Online, 3 Oct. 2026
Those moments in people’s careers are the beginning of feeling truly confident about yourself.

— Hilary Lewis, HollywoodReporter, 3 Oct. 2026

Definition of moments

Verb

Besides paternity and maternity leave, the company helps pay off student loans, provides support for aging parents, reimburses IVF and surrogacy expenses, and offers support programs for neurodiverse employees and parents of neurodiverse children.

— Tamlin Magee, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026
Taking a long-term view, often 10, 20 or even 30 years ahead, helps guide estate and wealth transfer decisions, Clapp said.

— Jessica Dickler, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of helps

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“Seconds.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/seconds. Accessed 8 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of seconds

noun (1)

noun (2)

verb

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