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Synonyms

second best

American  

noun

  1. the next to the best in performance, achievement, craftsmanship, etc.

second-best British  

adjective

  1. next to the best

  2. informal to be defeated in competition

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. an inferior alternative

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
second best Idioms  

  1. Also, second class. Next after the first in rank or quality, inferior to the best, as in We aren't satisfied with being second best in sales, or This hotel is obviously second class. The first term dates from the first half of the 1400s, the variant from about 1800. Also see come off, def. 2; second class.

Other Word Forms

  • second-best adjective

Etymology

Origin of second best

late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"My second best sport I do is cycling since I'm 10. For a hobby biker who is not cycling in winter, I'm a really good endurance athlete. Cycling is my second life."

From Barron's

"It's too tough a game to be turning up for an opponent and being second best," he told BBC Radio 5 Live.

From BBC

Borthwick's side, who lost their 12-game winning run in Edinburgh, were unable to deal with the speed and intensity of Ireland's attack, and they once again came off second best in the air.

From BBC

It’s a bit like that saying: The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago; the second best time is now.

From Salon

"The canopies collapse, and we fall roughly about 900ft. Fortunately for us, we landed on sand, and I, unfortunately, came off second best."

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.