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
One player the team seems obviously interested in is top running back prospect and Heisman runner-up Ashton Jeanty.
—
Gordon G. Chang, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Apr. 2025
At the end of the 2024 state championships, Colleyville Heritage girls soccer left Georgetown as the Class 5A runner-ups.
—Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Apr. 2025
That track ranks as the runner-up globally and reigns supreme outside the U.S.
—Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
Merrill, runner-up for National League Rookie of the Year last year, is already being considered by the Padres as a franchise-type player.
—Bill Madden, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for runner-up
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Gordon G. Chang, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Apr. 2025
At the end of the 2024 state championships, Colleyville Heritage girls soccer left Georgetown as the Class 5A runner-ups.
—Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Apr. 2025
That track ranks as the runner-up globally and reigns supreme outside the U.S.
—Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
Merrill, runner-up for National League Rookie of the Year last year, is already being considered by the Padres as a franchise-type player.
—Bill Madden, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Apr. 2025
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 14 Apr. 2025.
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