second best

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English

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Alternative forms

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Adjective

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second best (not comparable)

  1. Inferior to the best (but better than other alternatives).
  2. (economics) Characterized by one or more optimality conditions not being satisfiable.

Noun

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second best (plural second bests)

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

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