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second-best

second-best

12 3.7
Next in quality or rank after the best
  • adjective
  • /ˈsɛkənd bɛst/
translation icon : segundo mejor
  • This is the second-best cake I've ever tasted, and that's saying a lot.
  • a second-best solution

The second best highlighter that I've ever tried.

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Examples

  • The second best highlighter that I've ever tried.

  • Hill is averaging 106 receiving yards per game, second-best in the conference.

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  • You can get the second best spot, right.

  • You could be second best, baby.

  • Who is the second best dancer in Twice members?

  • And your wife has just hired the second best divorce attorney in New York city to deliver it.

  • It was voted this year by his peers in the business, the second best restaurant in the whole wide world.

  • The Venture Brothers is also the second-best show created by a New Jersey native on TV.

    Blog text (24)
  • Archie is probably our best or second-best player on the team.

    Blog text (17)
  • Cano was actually the second-best player in baseball, behind only Trout according to WARi.

    Blog text (26)

Antonyms

1.0

In the most successful way

How Good

best
1.0
second-best
12 3.7
good
1.0
fair
274 1.0
poor
838 1.0

Surface Forms

second-best positive
second-better comparative
second-bestest superlative

Morphology

second-best = second + best (transparent) = second + best

A direct compound of 'second' + 'best' whose meaning 'next after the best' is predictable from its parts.

Etymology

Second-best comes from two simple words: second ('next after the first') and best ('the top'). Think of a race where the person in second place gets the silver medal—not the top, but the one right after it—so second-best means not the best but better than the rest.