runner-up

American  

[ruhn-er-uhp] / ˈrʌn ərˈʌp /

noun

plural

runners-up

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

Brecel lifted the trophy at the Crucible in 2023, but will not be there this year as Jones, the 2024 runner-up, sealed a 10-5 victory at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield.

From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026

After an hour’s rest, Harris had enough energy to take first in the 100-meter dash in 10.32 seconds — one hundredth of a second faster than his runner-up time last year.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 12, 2026

But he can take solace in the knowledge that nine players have won here after being the runner-up the year before.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

He finished runner-up again in 2023 before a third place in 2024.

From BBC • Mar. 30, 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