runner-up
noun
run·ner-up
ˈrə-nər-ˌəp 
ˌrə-nər-ˈəp
plural runners-up
ˈrə-nərz-ˌəp
ˌrə-nərz-ˈəp
also runner-ups
: the competitor that does not win first place in a contest
especially
: one that finishes in second place
Examples of runner-up in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The Seattle Mariners' catcher, runner-up to Aaron Judge in the American League MVP vote last year after hitting 60 home runs, had Major League Baseball's longest single-season hitless streak since Craig Counsell went 0-for-45 in 2011.
—
Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 13 May 2026
Despite two wins and four runner-up finishes in the seven LIV events this year, the talk of golf is Scheffler and McIlroy, with Cameron Young and Matt Fitzpatrick on the fringes.
—ABC News, 12 May 2026
Protests in Rome have been milder than at Milan, surprisingly so after Ranieri’s exit and especially so for those who remember how much flak the old owner, Pallotta, caught for assembling more competitive teams that regularly finished runners-up to Juventus.
—James Horncastle, New York Times, 12 May 2026
McCullough was the runner-up, coming in second.
—Kimi Robinson, USA Today, 12 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for runner-up
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Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 13 May 2026
Despite two wins and four runner-up finishes in the seven LIV events this year, the talk of golf is Scheffler and McIlroy, with Cameron Young and Matt Fitzpatrick on the fringes.
—ABC News, 12 May 2026
Protests in Rome have been milder than at Milan, surprisingly so after Ranieri’s exit and especially so for those who remember how much flak the old owner, Pallotta, caught for assembling more competitive teams that regularly finished runners-up to Juventus.
—James Horncastle, New York Times, 12 May 2026
McCullough was the runner-up, coming in second.
—Kimi Robinson, USA Today, 12 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for runner-up
Cite this Entry
“Runner-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/runner-up. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
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