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second-rate

second-rate

23 4.4
Not as good as the best, often cheap or simple
  • adjective
  • /ˈsɛkənd reɪt/
translation icon : 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.