second-best

1 of 3

adjective

sec·​ond-best ˌse-kən(d)-ˈbest How to pronounce second-best (audio)
-kᵊŋ-
: next to the best

second best

2 of 3

noun

: one that is below or after the best

second best

3 of 3

adverb

: in second place

Examples of second-best in a Sentence

Noun He won't settle for second best.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
Kane helped England to its second-best finish in World Cup history this summer, and in the spring was the Bundesliga’s top scorer as Bayern Munich won the German league title and the Pokal Cup. — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 27 Oct. 2026 Its opening was the second-best ever for a non-concert documentary, behind Fahrenheit 9/11, which went on to earn about $119 million domestically. — Andrew McGowan, Fortune, 26 Oct. 2026
Noun
The wily strategist told Tian Ji to race his best horse against the king’s second best, his second best against the king’s third best and his worst against the king’s best. — Dana MacKenzie, Scientific American, 14 Oct. 2026 April is historically the second best performing month for the S & P 500 and only trails behind November, according to the Stock Trader’s Almanac. — Itzel Franco, CNBC, 31 Mar. 2026
Adverb
In 2023, Florida slipped to second best, partly due to high health care costs, behind Virginia. — Medora Lee, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026 That's the second best-performing sector of the year behind energy, which has soared 34%. — Fred Imbert, CNBC, 11 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for second-best

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1647, in the meaning defined above

Adverb

1777, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of second-best was in the 14th century

Rhymes for second-best

See All Rhymes for second-best

Browse Nearby Words

second baseman
second-best
second best
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Second-best.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/second-best. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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Kids Definition

second-best

adjective
: next to the best
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