1
as in decent
of average to below average quality
a second-rate song from a songwriter who has done much better
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in inferior
of little or less value or merit
a second-rate company that was never considered among the top manufacturers of televisions
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in cheap
of low quality
second-rate goods specifically manufactured for the low end of the market
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of second-rate
But even as China emerged as a major car manufacturer, its homegrown brands were still seen as second-rate.
—
Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 2 May 2025
His cigars weren’t as nasty as his habit of chasing bad money with worse—high living and foolish investments, with second-rate writing meant to plug the gap.
—Lauren Michele Jackson, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2025
Sometime in the late 18th century, though, offal started suffering from an image problem, viewed by some people to be an affordable but second-rate food.
—Valerie Trapp, The Atlantic, 17 Apr. 2025
Aside from the weather, hourlong wait times for food, defective wristbands and second-rate VIP experiences were among the complaints from festivalgoers.
—Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 16 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for second-rate
Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 2 May 2025
His cigars weren’t as nasty as his habit of chasing bad money with worse—high living and foolish investments, with second-rate writing meant to plug the gap.
—Lauren Michele Jackson, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2025
Sometime in the late 18th century, though, offal started suffering from an image problem, viewed by some people to be an affordable but second-rate food.
—Valerie Trapp, The Atlantic, 17 Apr. 2025
Aside from the weather, hourlong wait times for food, defective wristbands and second-rate VIP experiences were among the complaints from festivalgoers.
—Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 16 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for second-rate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for second-rate
Adjective
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Sales were decent, too, with more than one million copies shifted per year at the height of what quickly became a phenomenon.—
Richard Sutcliffe,
New York Times,
7 June 2025
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On its own, the ICE delivers a decent if not incredible 51.4mpg (42.8mpg with US gallon).—
James Morris,
Forbes.com,
7 June 2025
Adjective
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If college sports morph into inferior versions of the NFL, NBA, WNBA, MLB and other major pro leagues, college teams run the risk of resembling minor league squads that would generate much less revenue.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
8 June 2025
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While North Korea's naval forces are widely seen as far inferior to those of its rivals, analysts say a destroyer equipped with modern missile and radar systems could still boost the North's offensive and defensive capabilities.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
7 June 2025
Adjective
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This means some fans will be watching Messi for as little as $4, which is a far cry from the cheapest seats being cast at $349 when the draw was made in December.—
Adam Crafton,
New York Times,
14 June 2025
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The funding was meant to put the US in a position to compete with Chinese automakers, who have developed cheap and effective EVs that have piqued interest among car buyers around the world.—
Aarian Marshall,
Wired News,
13 June 2025
Adjective
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This means: • Spending hours optimizing crawl budgets won’t fix mediocre content.—
Nick Zviadadze,
Forbes.com,
9 June 2025
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Vest — once a Rule 5 pick who was returned to the Tigers after a mediocre stint with the Seattle Mariners — closed the door for the 10th time this season.—
Cody Stavenhagen,
New York Times,
7 June 2025
Adjective
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One allegedly threw a Molotov cocktail, and three deputies were struck, causing minor injuries, the department said.—
Ruben Vives,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2025
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Two Chicago firefighters and a teen suffered minor injuries Saturday afternoon during an apartment fire in the Lincoln Park neighborhood, according to the Chicago Fire Department.—
Rebecca Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
7 June 2025
Adjective
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Massive clouds of pollutants could collide in North Carolina this week and result in poor air quality conditions for millions.—
Evan Moore,
Charlotte Observer,
5 June 2025
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This lack of preparation yields poor communication that worsens difficult situations and burns bridges between companies and fired employees.—
Nicole Tidei,
Forbes.com,
5 June 2025
Adjective
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Multiple audits — including one presented to the supervisors last month — found the company has continuously fallen short of the 90-95% compliance rate needed for a satisfactory rating.—
Jakob Rodgers,
Mercury News,
6 June 2025
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Father’s Day tends to carry the rep of being a lower-key celebration, with a satisfactory time including food and beverages, maybe a clothing item, and peace and quiet.—
DeVonne Goode,
Parents,
6 June 2025
Adjective
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Out on the mean streets of O.C., the coming changes have sparked some trepidation.—
Teri Sforza,
Oc Register,
11 June 2025
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Changing vaccination guidelines, ever-evolving variants and strains, threats to health insurance and more mean COVID is still very much a regular conversation on the lips of lawmakers, regulators and the general public.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
5 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Second-rate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/second-rate. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
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