third-string

ADJECTIVE

deficient

Synonyms

STRONGEST

defective faulty flawed impaired incomplete inferior insufficient lacking scarce skimpy unsatisfactory weak

WEAK

amiss bad damaged exiguous found wanting infrequent injured marred meager not cut out for not enough not make it not up to scratch outta gas rare scant scanty second fiddle second string short shy sketchy unassembled unequal unfinished wanting

Antonyms

STRONGEST

abundant adequate enough perfect strong sufficient

WEAK

ample excessive faultless flawless satisfactory superfluous

ADJECTIVE

lesser

Synonyms

STRONGEST

insignificant minor

WEAK

a notch under bottom bush bush-league dinky less important low lower minor-league nether second-fiddle second-string slighter small small-fry small-time subjacent subordinate undersized

Antonyms

STRONGEST

significant

WEAK

greater higher major superior

NOUN

subordinate

Synonyms

STRONGEST

aide assistant deputy servant underling

STRONG

attendant dependent flunky gofer helper inferior junior peon scrub second serf slave subaltern

WEAK

poor relation second fiddle second string third string

Antonyms

WEAK

boss chief leader major manager master superior

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.

Why in the world should Canadians or Greenlanders, just for instance, want to be those things when they could be third-string Americans?

From Salon • Feb. 28, 2026

After Patrick Mahomes suffered a season-ending injury the week before, his back-up Gardner Minshew also got injured, so the Chiefs ended the game with third-string quarterback Chris Oladokun.

From BBC • Dec. 24, 2025

Daniel Jones was ruled out with a season-ending Achilles injury and his replacement, third-string rookie Riley Leonard, picked up a knee problem.

From BBC • Dec. 10, 2025

Mater Dei third-string quarterback Trevor Scott is a left-hander standing 6–foot-4, whose skill set showed rawness as well as potential.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 28, 2025

He did neither better nor worse than the other second- and third-string fellows, perhaps—although, when Pope was taken out and Deering substituted at full-back, he did his share of the punting and performed very creditably.

From The Turner Twins by Barbour, Ralph Henry

third-string

Example Sentences

Related Words