second best

noun

1. the next to the best in performance, achievement, craftsmanship, etc.

second-best

adjective

1. next to the best

2. informal,  to be defeated in competition

noun

1. an inferior alternative

Other Word Forms

• second-best adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of second best¹

late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50

Idioms and Phrases

Also, second class. Next after the first in rank or quality, inferior to the best, as in We aren't satisfied with being second best in sales, or This hotel is obviously second class. The first term dates from the first half of the 1400s, the variant from about 1800. Also see come off, def. 2; second class.

Example Sentences

The Bills had won seven in a row against Miami but were second best from the start as the Dolphins ran out 30-13 winners in an eye-opening result - and performance.

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It was mentioned to us that we were second best as a group because we kept coming second to Manchester United.

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He remained bullish about his Freedom Party's performance: "I would naturally rather have seen more seats... but we have still had our second best result."

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Is it too simplistic to point to the disallowed goal as evidence of Celtic's misfortunes, or were they just second best against the side seventh in Portugal's top flight?

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After all, there were less than 10 minutes remaining and the Spaniards had survived a flurry of missed chances before drawing level in a game in which they were second best.

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