: one that is below or after the best
: in second place
Examples of second-best in a Sentence
Noun
He won't settle for second best.
Recent Examples on the Web
Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Mar. 2025
LeBron James is broadly viewed as the best, or second-best, player in the history of basketball, with only Michael Jordan competing for the title of GOAT - Greatest Of All-Time.
—Morten Stig Jensen, Forbes.com, 26 Mar. 2025
David Keller, CNBC, 4 Mar. 2025
The Rams defense has not been great of late but has only given up seven plays of 20 or more yards (second best) the last four weeks.
—Vic Tafur, The Athletic, 25 Dec. 2024
Anna Lazarus Caplan, Peoplemag, 10 Feb. 2023
When the year wrapped, Red was the second best-selling LP of 2012 with 3.11 million, following Adele's 21.
—Joe Lynch, Billboard, 18 June 2021
See All Example Sentences for second-best
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Adjective
The Eagles could have the second-best record in the conference and finish with the fifth seed, just as the Minnesota Vikings did last season if the Commanders go on to win the division.
—Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Mar. 2025
LeBron James is broadly viewed as the best, or second-best, player in the history of basketball, with only Michael Jordan competing for the title of GOAT - Greatest Of All-Time.
—Morten Stig Jensen, Forbes.com, 26 Mar. 2025
Noun
The second best performing sector in 2025 has been consumer staples, and the tobacco group has shown strong performance going back to mid-2024.
—David Keller, CNBC, 4 Mar. 2025
The Rams defense has not been great of late but has only given up seven plays of 20 or more yards (second best) the last four weeks.
—Vic Tafur, The Athletic, 25 Dec. 2024
Adverb
Among the challenges for the second best-selling female artist of all time?
—Anna Lazarus Caplan, Peoplemag, 10 Feb. 2023
When the year wrapped, Red was the second best-selling LP of 2012 with 3.11 million, following Adele's 21.
—Joe Lynch, Billboard, 18 June 2021
See All Example Sentences for second-best
Cite this Entry
“Second-best.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/second-best. Accessed 31 Mar. 2025.
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