second-class

ADJECTIVE

inferior

Synonyms

WEAK

average bad base common déclassé fair good-for-nothing hack imperfect indifferent junk lemon lousy low-grade low-quality low-rent mean mediocre middling ordinary paltry poorer sad second-rate shabby sorry substandard tawdry two-bit worse wretched

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Under segregation, black Americans generally shared a common experience of being second-class citizens.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 5, 2026

For much of its history printmaking has been relegated to second-class citizenship, with works that are viewed as less than equal to one-offs in other media.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

We are fortunate to have warriors like Crenshaw who refuse to accept second-class status.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 30, 2026

The firm was fined £21m in October by regulator Ofcom after failing to meet its first and second-class delivery targets in the year 2024/25.

From BBC • Dec. 10, 2025

He had a second-class sleeper in the seventh bogie, behind the air-conditioned coach.

From "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri

second-class

Example Sentences

Related Words