Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Meyerhoff, one of the Schaubühne’s finest actors, injected fresh life into his character, a popular second-rater who probably suspects that he’s a hack.

From New York Times • Mar. 8, 2023

It might be a long time before the fans saw another Louis; meanwhile, it looked as though it would take more than a second-rater to beat the champion.

From Time Magazine Archive

"A first-rate second-rater," Chamberlain found him, "who some day may be a big man."

From Time Magazine Archive

Henceforth, at least for a while, "a Calder horse" will no longer serve as racing shorthand for a second-rater.

From Time Magazine Archive

Their salaries run from £800 to £1,200 a year; and you can get either a first-class man, whose health prevents him from remaining in England, or a good second-rater for that sum.

From Town Life in Australia by Twopeny, Richard Ernest Nowell