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second-rate

second-rate

23 4.4
Not as good as the best, often cheap or simple
  • adjective
  • /ˈsɛkənd reɪt/
: mediocre
  • Now he just hobbles around the country, working for a second-rate news service.
  • second-rate work

I'm second class, I'm second rate, I'm incompetent, I'm nothing.

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Examples

  • Many consumers prefer premium brands over second-rate options that lack quality.

  • His performance was good, but the overall production felt somewhat second-rate compared to others.

  • And he ends up saying that, you know, all of this is kind of second rate when it comes to philosophy.

  • You took a second-rate brand and made it what it is today.

  • It's only the arrogance of New York that lets it get away with having a second rate airport system.

  • As well, American technology seemed to be second-rate when compared with that of Japan, as did U.S. business organization and practice.

    Academic text (2004)
  • Like most locals, we fully understood it was a second-rate state school you only went to because:

    Blog text (21)
  • The fact is, I could barely hold my own... in the pit orchestra of a second-rate music hall.

  • And on the other hand, we have second-rate and even third-rate universities which produce graduates.

    Blog text (1)
  • These so-called Bad Guys are really just second-rate has-beens.

Synonyms

bad
vssecond-rate
∞ 1.0

Not good in quality or below the usual standard

is less strong, meaning simply mediocre rather than clearly poor
crappy
vssecond-rate
  • NSFW
176 7.5

Very bad or of low quality

is more neutral and milder, meaning average poor quality rather than extreme
mediocre
vssecond-rate
109 4.8

Only average in quality and not very good

leans more toward being seen as inferior rather than merely average
inferior
vssecond-rate
63 3.7

Not as good in quality as something else

is milder, meaning only moderately below the best rather than clearly lower
second-class
vssecond-rate
  • Offensive
28 4.7

Someone treated as less important and given fewer rights or benefits

focuses more on being of lower worth rather than formal lower status
substandard
vssecond-rate
27 4.4

Not as good as the usual or required quality

is milder, meaning average mediocre quality rather than failing standards
abysmal
vssecond-rate
25 7.1

Very bad or of poor quality

is far less intense, denoting moderate inferiority rather than horror
so-so
vssecond-rate
21 3.0

Neither good nor bad

is more negative, implying a clearer sense of inferiority
third-rate
vssecond-rate
  • Informal
17 4.7

Of very low quality and not good enough

is milder, referring to moderate or mediocre standard rather than very poor
subpar
vssecond-rate
15 4.5

Not as good as people expect

is slightly softer, implying moderate inferiority rather than clear failure
low-grade
vssecond-rate
11 4.4

Not very good and worth less than similar things

is more about overall mediocrity than specifically cheap materials
indifferent
vssecond-rate
5 4.4

Only average and not very good

is more clearly judged as inferior rather than just not very good
suboptimal
vssecond-rate
4 5.6

Less good than the best choice

is about ordinary low quality rather than failing ideal standards
middling
vssecond-rate
1 4.6

Having average quality, neither very good nor very bad

suggests a lower standing or value rather than neutral middleness
fair to middling
vssecond-rate
  • Archaic
1 6.9

Medium quality, neither very good nor very bad

carries more of a sense of being below desired standard
fourth-rate
vssecond-rate
  • Offensive
1 6.6

Very poor quality and not good enough

is less extreme, indicating mediocre rather than notably bad quality
fifth-rate
vssecond-rate
  • Informal
1 6.8

Very low quality and not good enough

is for moderate inferiority, not the strong negative judgment here
subaverage
vssecond-rate
4.9

Lower than the normal level in quality or performance

is more about general mediocrity and value, not statistical position
poorish
vssecond-rate
  • Informal
4.6

Not very good in quality or condition

is less mild, conveying a general sense of low quality or worth
sixth-rate
vssecond-rate
  • Informal
7.6

It is of very low quality compared with similar things

is a softer label, meaning merely of mediocre or moderate quality

Antonyms

∞ 1.0

Very good and better than most similar things

49 3.8

Very high quality or done very well

How Bad

terrible
∞ 1.0
poor
838 1.0
second-rate
23 4.4
subpar
15 4.5
mediocre
109 4.8

Surface Forms

second-rate positive

Morphology

second-rate = second + rate (transparent) = second + rate

The compound combines 'second' (not first / lower in rank) with 'rate' (class/quality), yielding the easily inferred meaning 'of lower quality' analogous to 'not first-rate'.

Etymology

The word second-rate comes from second ('after the first') and rate ('quality' or 'class'), like the opposite phrase first-rate. Think of a second prize that feels less special than a first prize, so second-rate means 'not the best' or of low quality.