1
as in inferior
of little or less value or merit
a playwright who produced only second-class work when he turned his hand to poetry
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in decent
of average to below average quality
it's only a second-class restaurant and not worth the high prices
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of second-class
Mindanaoans had felt like second-class Filipinos for longer than the country had been independent.
—
Sean Williams, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
Women are second-class citizens and must cover their hair and wear loose-fitting clothing in all public spaces.
—Agustina Vergara Cid, Oc Register, 23 Jan. 2026
The teen has been charged with reckless homicide, a second-class felony, per the update.
—Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 12 Jan. 2026
Women were relegated to second-class citizens and gay and lesbian individuals were executed as a matter of public policy.
—Bobby Zirkin, Baltimore Sun, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for second-class
Sean Williams, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
Women are second-class citizens and must cover their hair and wear loose-fitting clothing in all public spaces.
—Agustina Vergara Cid, Oc Register, 23 Jan. 2026
The teen has been charged with reckless homicide, a second-class felony, per the update.
—Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 12 Jan. 2026
Women were relegated to second-class citizens and gay and lesbian individuals were executed as a matter of public policy.
—Bobby Zirkin, Baltimore Sun, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for second-class
Recent Examples of Synonyms for second-class
Adjective
-
The high-flying version of the Avs has yet to arrive in this series, but the defensively-sound edition backed by strong goaltending continues to be enough against an inferior Kings club.—
Corey Masisak,
Denver Post,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Their highest attendance of the games played at Stamford Bridge this season is 30,545, the only one to come close to the 30,000 mark, and inferior to their record attendance of 39,398 set two years ago at their Champions League semi-final second leg against Barcelona.—
Chris Weatherspoon,
New York Times,
22 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The Giants came into the season with a decent enough outlook for the year.—
David Troy OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
-
There’s a similar hope for Bielefeld, a 6-3 wing who played a decent amount during her freshman season.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Snitker managed numerous minor-league clubs over the years, including Richmond, Mississippi, Durham and Macon.—
Gabriel Burns,
AJC.com,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Any minor spills or leaks within this storage area are expected to be contained within the basement level.—
Staff Report,
Hartford Courant,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Lyrics pull ordinary moments—tired thoughts, routine weight—and lay them bare.—
Jason Phillips,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2026
-
And companies like Meta are moving quickly to expand what these devices can do, including identifying people and instantly pulling up information about them, potentially turning ordinary public encounters into data points for the companies that make the glasses.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Fremar then received an early copy of the book, which was even meaner than the version that was eventually published.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Hecht is a former walk-on who rose up the ranks in a K-State program known for churning out big, mean fellas.—
Alex Kirshner,
New York Times,
26 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Quatraro asked for clarification and left the field without a satisfactory expression.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The defense was more than satisfactory in subduing the league’s top offense.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
19 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Heat the same ovenproof non-stick frying pan over medium–low heat.—
Shafiq Najib,
ABC News,
24 Apr. 2026
-
While Fortune 500 enterprises are better equipped to update their infrastructure, the vast majority—small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and smaller agencies—are less empowered to make these upgrades.—
Kemba Walden,
Fortune,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Raridon is a bet that his astounding athletic traits will overcome mediocre college production (zero touchdowns a year ago and just 623 yards in 40 games).—
Chad Graff,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The Ducks are comfortable playing firewagon hockey as a mediocre-to-poor defensive team with the talent to outscore its mistakes, particularly with the backing of its frenzied home crowd at Orange County’s first playoff hockey in eight years.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Second-class.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/second-class. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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