runner-up

[ruhn-er-uhp]

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.

runner-up

noun

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of runner-up¹

First recorded in 1835–45

Example Sentences

But with more experience under her belt, and a runner-up spot on the development tour, she has qualified again and seems likely to appear at Alexandra Palace in December.

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Littler won the youth title in 2023 aged 16, a few weeks before he burst into the spotlight by finishing runner-up at the 2024 World Championship.

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Despite the loss, Namibia edged Liberia on goal difference for the runners-up spot, but will finish last in the table for second-placed nations and be eliminated.

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Littler won the 2023 World Youth Championships but opted against playing in 2024 after his breakthrough at the senior World Championships, where he finished runner-up.

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The 12 runners-up in these current qualifying groups - plus the four best Nations League group winners who fail to finish top two in their sections - will be drawn into four different paths in November.

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Related Words

• double