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• second best
  second best

  noun

  the next to the best in performance, achievement, craftsmanship, etc.
• second-best
  second-best

  adjective

  next to the best

second best

American  

noun

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

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second-best British  

adjective

1. next to the best

2. informal to be defeated in competition

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noun

1. an inferior alternative

second best Idioms  

1. 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.

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Other Word Forms

• second-best
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of second best

late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

second best second-best

"It was a night to forget - we were second best at everything," ex-England midfielder Karen Carney told ITV.

From BBC ● Jun. 5, 2026

“Chad, the best time to have dropped out would have been a couple of weeks ago, but the second best time is right now.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 3, 2026

They were second best but when you have Lawrence Shankland in your ranks, you have hope.

From BBC ● May 9, 2026

South Korean stocks just registered their second best month ever and has overtaken one of the largest stock markets in the world.

From MarketWatch ● Apr. 30, 2026

“He’s not a stranger. He’s easily my second best friend.”

From "The Fault in Our Stars" by John Green

Not for leading Tennessee to its first-ever College Football Playoff appearance and a 10-3 record — tying for the Volunteers’ second-best finish since 2001.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026

That, combined with an announcement about the company’s Terafab chip-making project, cleared the way for the stock to see its second-best day on record Friday.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 10, 2026

Netflix's "Beef" topped the nominations among the limited series contenders with 16, and the streaming giant was second-best overall with 111 nods.

From Barron's ● Jul. 8, 2026

Carville, resigned to the idea getting a ticket was out of the question, had taken his family to do "the second-best thing" - "to go down town and soak up some of the atmosphere".

From BBC ● Jul. 6, 2026

"Let's ask Trina to come with us. She's our second-best friend."

From "Sleepover Sleuths: Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew, #1" by Carolyn Keene