as in minutes
a very small space of time
I'll be ready in a second
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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
Arkansas Online, 9 Feb. 2026
On first and goal from the Patriots’ one-yard line with 26 seconds remaining, Wilson’s pass for Ricardo Lockette was intercepted by Patriots rookie Malcolm Butler to seal the win for New England.
—Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2026
Within seconds, Sunday, so was her incredible attempt to medal.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 8 Feb. 2026
Henry scored nine points during a 15-3 run to cut the Gauchos’ lead to 75-70 with 42 seconds left, before the hosts held on.
—Oc Register, 8 Feb. 2026
Alex Gaffney scored his 17th goal of the season to put the visitors on the board just 56 seconds after puck drop, but that turned out to be the only offense of the night as the Tommies fell 3-1 to the Falcons in Ohio.
—Tom Carothers, Twin Cities, 8 Feb. 2026
The 0-to-60 miles per hour standard is accomplished in eight seconds.
—James Raia, Mercury News, 8 Feb. 2026
Brown went on to miss the free throw, but ended up grabbing the offensive rebound and center Luka Garza capitalized by making a basket to complete the four-point possession and cut the Heat’s lead from 21 to 17 within the first 29 seconds of the third quarter.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 7 Feb. 2026
According to vehicle websites, the specific make and model of this vehicle allows for top speeds of over 200 mph, with the ability to go from 0-60 mph in less than four seconds.
—Adriana Pérez, Chicago Tribune, 6 Jan. 2025
Noun
After Donovyn Hunter's driving layup gave TCU a 79-77 lead with five seconds remaining, Masogayo took a sideline inbounds pass, drove the right side of the lane and made a short bank shot to tie the score.
—Arkansas Online, 9 Feb. 2026
On first and goal from the Patriots’ one-yard line with 26 seconds remaining, Wilson’s pass for Ricardo Lockette was intercepted by Patriots rookie Malcolm Butler to seal the win for New England.
—Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2026
Within seconds, Sunday, so was her incredible attempt to medal.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 8 Feb. 2026
Henry scored nine points during a 15-3 run to cut the Gauchos’ lead to 75-70 with 42 seconds left, before the hosts held on.
—Oc Register, 8 Feb. 2026
Alex Gaffney scored his 17th goal of the season to put the visitors on the board just 56 seconds after puck drop, but that turned out to be the only offense of the night as the Tommies fell 3-1 to the Falcons in Ohio.
—Tom Carothers, Twin Cities, 8 Feb. 2026
The 0-to-60 miles per hour standard is accomplished in eight seconds.
—James Raia, Mercury News, 8 Feb. 2026
Brown went on to miss the free throw, but ended up grabbing the offensive rebound and center Luka Garza capitalized by making a basket to complete the four-point possession and cut the Heat’s lead from 21 to 17 within the first 29 seconds of the third quarter.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 7 Feb. 2026
According to vehicle websites, the specific make and model of this vehicle allows for top speeds of over 200 mph, with the ability to go from 0-60 mph in less than four seconds.
—Adriana Pérez, Chicago Tribune, 6 Jan. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for seconds
Verb
-
According to the South Dakota Highway Patrol, after an arrest has been made, the National Guard assists with administrative processing before the Department of Corrections (DOC) holds individuals for a federal transfer.—
Angela George,
Sioux Falls Argus Leader,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Supporting them is a multilingual team that assists patients throughout the entire journey, from start to finish, from consultation to post-operative care.—
Kaitlyn Gomez,
Miami Herald,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The tuber also provides vitamin C, which acts as an antioxidant, and fiber, which aids digestion, boosts satiety, and regulates blood sugar.—
Kirsten Nunez,
Martha Stewart,
4 Feb. 2026
-
The calcium found in milk is also packaged with vitamin D, which aids in the absorption of calcium.—
Mira Miller,
Verywell Health,
19 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Instead of being a mere foot soldier following orders from more frontal brain regions, M1 helps plan, guide and coordinate action.—
Allison Parshall,
Scientific American,
4 Feb. 2026
-
The extra carbonation helps flavors register more clearly at altitude.—
Regan Stephens,
Travel + Leisure,
4 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Seconds.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/seconds. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
