Dictionary

second best en · ADJ

Meanings

1. (not-comparable) Inferior to the best (but better than other alternatives).
   • I had to make do with a second-best alternative.
2. (not-comparable) Characterized by one or more optimality conditions not being satisfiable.

Forms

second best en · NOUN

Meanings

1. Something (or someone) that is inferior to the best (but better than other alternatives).
   • If I made you feel second best / Well I'm sorry I was blind 1970, Johnny Christopher, Mark James, Wayne Carson, “Always On My Mind”, performed by Brenda Lee:
   • And so makeshift and second-best have continued. 1956, Anthony Burgess, Time for a Tiger (The Malayan Trilogy), published 1972, page 38:
2. A situation where one or more optimality conditions cannot be satisfied.

Forms

Relateds

third best · come off second best · first loser