Synonyms

secondly

American

[sek-uhnd-lee] / ˈsɛk ənd li /

adverb

in the second place; second.

secondly British

/ ˈsɛkəndlɪ /

adverb

another word for second, usually used to precede the second item in a list of topics

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of secondly

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English; second ¹ + -ly

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.

Firstly, they trust the government, and secondly, because Finns cherish feeling safe.

From BBC • Mar. 18, 2026

But secondly, the weather is generally bad, meaning if they are left outside shops, they often become unusable, with charities being hit with "skyrocketing" financial costs in disposing of them.

From BBC • Jan. 12, 2026

"Whether that's on gun regulation in New South Wales, or secondly, changes to protest, in order to lower the temperature in Sydney," he told reporters.

From Barron's • Dec. 23, 2025

And secondly, if they don’t innovate, their competitors may leave them in the dust.

From MarketWatch • Oct. 11, 2025

“First of all: No, you wouldn’ta. And secondly, a girl can’t ask a guy stuff without everyone launching interrogations? I’m not tryna...no!”

From "Shadowshaper" by Daniel José Older

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023