runner-up

American  

[ruhn-er-uhp] / ˈrʌn ərˈʌp /

noun

runners-up plural

1. the competitor, player, or team finishing in second place, as in a race, contest, or tournament.

2. runners-up, the competitors who do not win a contest but who place ahead of the majority of the contestants and share in prizes or honors, as those who place second, third, and fourth, or in the top ten.

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runner-up British  

noun

1. a contestant finishing a race or competition in second place

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Etymology

Origin of runner-up

First recorded in 1835–45

Explanation

In a competition, the runner-up is usually the person who comes in second place. In the Olympics, an athlete who wins a silver medal can be called a runner-up. In beauty pageants, there are often first, second, and third-place winners, followed by a runner-up. At the state fair, if your pig gets a blue ribbon and your sister's gets a red one, it means your pig won, and your sister's pig was the runner-up. The earliest use of this word, in the 1840s, was in dog racing.

Example Sentences

The season was chock-full of cameos from celebrities like Billie Eilish and Sia, and included former “Survivor” runner-up and “White Lotus” creator Mike White as a contestant.

From Los Angeles Times • May 21, 2026

He was the runner-up in 2022, armed with the cunning plan of writing a good song – the 70s glam rock pastiche Space Man – and being good at performing it.

From BBC • May 17, 2026

Reform Blaenau Gwent Caerffili Rhymni MS Llŷr Powell, runner-up to Plaid Cymru in last October's Caerphilly by-election, said his party intended to "add a higher level of scrutiny" to Cardiff Bay proceedings.

From BBC • May 10, 2026

Brier was the runner-up this time in 54.24.

From Los Angeles Times • May 9, 2026

"Does it bother you to be the runner-up, now that you're here?" he asks.

From "The Belles" by Dhonielle Clayton

Related Words

• double