1
as in inferior
of little or less value or merit
a playwright who produced only second-class work when he turned his hand to poetry
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in decent
of average to below average quality
it's only a second-class restaurant and not worth the high prices
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of second-class
Mindanaoans had felt like second-class Filipinos for longer than the country had been independent.
—
Sean Williams, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
Women are second-class citizens and must cover their hair and wear loose-fitting clothing in all public spaces.
—Agustina Vergara Cid, Oc Register, 23 Jan. 2026
The teen has been charged with reckless homicide, a second-class felony, per the update.
—Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 12 Jan. 2026
Women were relegated to second-class citizens and gay and lesbian individuals were executed as a matter of public policy.
—Bobby Zirkin, Baltimore Sun, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for second-class
Sean Williams, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
Women are second-class citizens and must cover their hair and wear loose-fitting clothing in all public spaces.
—Agustina Vergara Cid, Oc Register, 23 Jan. 2026
The teen has been charged with reckless homicide, a second-class felony, per the update.
—Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 12 Jan. 2026
Women were relegated to second-class citizens and gay and lesbian individuals were executed as a matter of public policy.
—Bobby Zirkin, Baltimore Sun, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for second-class
Recent Examples of Synonyms for second-class
Adjective
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Beaten 4-1 at Bolton Wanderers, Leeds were effectively relegated to the second tier with two games remaining because of their vastly inferior goal difference.—
Stuart James,
New York Times,
21 Mar. 2026
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During the Middle Ages, for example, many contemporary accounts from both Christian and Muslim societies depicted their opposing side as barbaric, blasphemous, and inferior.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
19 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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But there were a few decent ones.—
Rob Crilly,
The Washington Examiner,
1 Apr. 2026
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That’s because this winter brought decent rain and the three years prior were wet, too.—
Ian James,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Meanwhile, at home, small appliances might break down or a minor breakage could occur.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
5 Apr. 2026
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The restaurant became a minor sensation—the titular dish is terrific, silken and subtle and rich, but what most stood out was a rotating lineup of specials, mostly hawker-style Malaysian fare, particularly the food of Klang, his parents’ home town, on Malaysia’s western coast.—
Helen Rosner,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Deuterium can replace one or both of the ordinary hydrogen atoms in water, which is what scientists mean by deuterium enrichment.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
30 Mar. 2026
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For instance, investments that give off income that is taxed at ordinary rates go into retirement accounts like IRAs, said CFP Cathy Curtis, founder and CEO of Curtis Financial Planning.—
Michelle Fox,
CNBC,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Some of this positioning has come from their fellow players; finales for the first 40 seasons were packed with bitter jurors who often saved their meanest digs for the women finalists.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
1 Apr. 2026
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Zhipu said in its earnings report released Tuesday that its revenue rose about 132% to 724 million yuan in 2025 from the previous year, though that figure missed the mean analyst estimate of 760 million yuan, polled by Reuters.—
Dylan Butts,
CNBC,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Privately, some writers walking the staff picket line still had faith in WGAW management to negotiate a satisfactory deal with the AMPTP amid the drama.—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
1 Apr. 2026
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Safety, satisfactory customer service, and ensuring riders feel secure are best achieved by maintaining — and even increasing — staffing in transit systems.—
John Samuelsen,
New York Daily News,
17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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What once seemed a marginal asset now appears increasingly vital over the medium term.—
Boris Muñoz,
Time,
3 Apr. 2026
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Considered a small to medium tree, the serviceberry averages about 15 feet, but can stretch to 25 feet in ideal conditions.—
Campbell Vaughn,
USA Today,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Many longtime observers believe forcing the lowest seeds to cannibalize themselves in the opening round would strip the main event of its charm and that the mediocre teams from the heavyweight leagues should fill the 12 opening round matchups.—
Jon Wilner,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
30 Mar. 2026
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After all, television is a business where thousands of people work, and a mediocre show can employ just as many people (minus a few writers) as an Emmy-winner.—
Jennifer Silverman,
Rolling Stone,
29 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Second-class.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/second-class. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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