second only to
idiom
: only less important than (something or someone)
Rice is second only to corn as the state's major crop.
Examples of second only to in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The Cavs are bludgeoning teams in that action, averaging 1.09 points per possession in pick-and-rolls, second only to the Knicks.
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Law Murray, The Athletic, 20 Feb. 2025
Today, that same company estimates that 145 million Valentine’s Day cards are sent each year, making Valentine’s Day second only to Christmas in terms of card-sending holidays.
—Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 14 Feb. 2025
The holiday is the No. 1 annual occasion for florists and floral purchases, second only to Christmas and Hanukkah in dollars spent, according to the Society of American Florists.
—Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 13 Feb. 2025
Over the past decade, SpaceX has earned more than $13 billion in contracts from NASA, second only to the amount awarded to the California Institute of Technology.
—Soo Rin Kim, ABC News, 10 Feb. 2025
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Law Murray, The Athletic, 20 Feb. 2025
Today, that same company estimates that 145 million Valentine’s Day cards are sent each year, making Valentine’s Day second only to Christmas in terms of card-sending holidays.
—Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 14 Feb. 2025
The holiday is the No. 1 annual occasion for florists and floral purchases, second only to Christmas and Hanukkah in dollars spent, according to the Society of American Florists.
—Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 13 Feb. 2025
Over the past decade, SpaceX has earned more than $13 billion in contracts from NASA, second only to the amount awarded to the California Institute of Technology.
—Soo Rin Kim, ABC News, 10 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for second only to
Cite this Entry
“Second only to.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/second%20only%20to. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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