second string
noun
the squad of players available either individually or as a team to replace or relieve those who start a game.
second-stringer
-
a word derived from
second string.
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.
Teams like Nick Saban’s Alabama dynasty stockpiled so much talent that the second-stringer would often outperform the player he was replacing.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 4, 2026
His part-time platoon partner, second-stringer Brett Sullivan, was hitting .170 with four extra-base hits and a .482 OPS in 21 games since getting called up from the minors April 16.
From Washington Times ● May 31, 2023
No longer is he a second-stringer who the Seahawks are forced to start.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 2, 2022
At linebacker, Thomas Davis was listed as an outside linebacker but as a second-stringer behind Shaun Dion Hamilton.
From Washington Post ● Sep. 8, 2020
He rarely played, and he didn’t like being a second-stringer far from the bright lights he’d grown used to at a national power like Washington.
From New York Times ● Dec. 26, 2019
