1
as in decent
of average to below average quality
a second-rate song from a songwriter who has done much better
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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
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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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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of second-rate
For some philosophers, hope is a second-rate way of relating to reality.
—
Big Think, 24 June 2024
After the composer’s death, a hokey big operatic ending got tacked on with a showy duet by a second-rate composer, Franco Alfano.
—Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 6 June 2024
Iran is another second-rate safe haven for al Qaeda.
—Daniel Byman, Foreign Affairs, 24 Aug. 2021
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, 5 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for second-rate 
Big Think, 24 June 2024
After the composer’s death, a hokey big operatic ending got tacked on with a showy duet by a second-rate composer, Franco Alfano.
—Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 6 June 2024
Iran is another second-rate safe haven for al Qaeda.
—Daniel Byman, Foreign Affairs, 24 Aug. 2021
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, 5 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for second-rate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for second-rate
Adjective
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While its mono sound is decent, the lack of physical playback controls and auxiliary input might be limiting for some users.Shubham Yewale, PCMAG, 12 Nov. 2024
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Jazz voters recently flexing their muscles in the generals, with awards for Jon Batiste and Samara Joy, means André could have a decent chance at a second AOTY trophy.Justin Curto, Vulture, 8 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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The complaint alleges that Under Armour makes nearly all of its assortment for its factory stores exclusively for those stores, and that the items are inferior in quality to the goods sold in its regular stores and on its regular site.Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 5 Nov. 2024
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For example, girls and parents might notice inequities like girls’ playing fields being inferior to boys’ fields, a lack of money for transportation for girls to play, and ill-fitting uniforms or equipment, explains Issokson-Silver.Allison Torres Burtka, Parents, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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The standard plan with ads costs $6.99/month, less than half the cost of the regular standard plan ($15.49/month), and much cheaper than the top-tier premium plan ($22.99/month).Emily Dreibelbis Forlini, PCMAG, 12 Nov. 2024
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By contrast, solar panels, wind turbines, and appliances like induction stoves only get better — more efficient and cheaper — with time.Matt Simon / Grist, Quartz, 12 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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However, with the Niners’ defense undefined and its defensive line play underwhelming, San Francisco cannot afford to be a mediocre offense in the second half of the season.Dieter Kurtenbach, The Mercury News, 9 Nov. 2024
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While Dave could have easily turned into some mediocre experiment in meta storytelling, Burd—who cocreated the series, stars in it, and has written several episodes—grapples with some surprisingly touchy topics, including mental illness.Jennifer M. Wood, WIRED, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Over a decade later, the streaming space is filled with entries from major and minor media companies alike.Bruce Gil, Quartz, 8 Nov. 2024
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Walman is dealing with a minor upper-body injury incurred in the first period of Saturday’s 3-2 loss to the Vancouver Canucks.Curtis Pashelka, The Mercury News, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Trump, for one thing, had a favorable set of issues behind him and the Republican Party: Biden had seen poor favorability and approval ratings throughout his term in office, despite scoring several legislative wins, including a bipartisan infrastructure deal that had previously eluded Trump.Todd Spangler, Detroit Free Press, 6 Nov. 2024
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Basically that poor enforcement had bred serious disrespect for the law, or at least a misunderstanding of it.Tax Notes Staff, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Please note that many of these AI tools offer free plans (which are limited but may be perfectly satisfactory depending on your current needs).Rachel Wells, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024
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The expert committee offered some explanations such as a systematic difference between those who did and did not participate in the polls, but ultimately felt none of them was completely satisfactory.Karlyn Bowman, Forbes, 28 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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Rain gets incredibly sick from the surgery, which was organized by some of the club’s less-than-reputable mean girls and performed in a motel room.Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 1 Nov. 2024
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Hannah seemed to delight in being mean to Nick instead of dumping him.Alex Abad-Santos, Vox, 31 Oct. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near second-rate
Cite this Entry
“Second-rate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/second-rate. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.
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