a few runner up

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a few runner up" is not correct in English.
It should be "a few runners-up." You can use it when referring to multiple individuals or entries that placed just below the winner in a competition or contest. Example: "In the talent show, there were a few runners-up who received recognition for their outstanding performances."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

I entered and, after nuzzling at the top spot with a few runner-up prizes, I finally won the competition in 2007.

The Guardian

Here's my list of 10 favorites from 2011, along with a few runners-up.

The New York Times - Tech

Here, we acknowledge a few runners-up for our Platinum 400 list, America's best big companies.

Forbes

But with nothing to lose, I started passing a few runners, then a few more.

The New York Times

This contrasts with Republicans, who have admittedly had fewer runners-up in recent decades but who nonetheless accord them a more respectful, eminent status.

The New York Times

I've picked a few excellent runners-up as well as one winner.

TechCrunch

(Fittingly, the original was a Disrupt runner up too).

TechCrunch

A few excerpts: Third runner-up: No Question.

The New York Times

Ashton has kept his distance from the professional game since losing the England job in deeply questionable circumstances in 2008, a few months after guiding the national team to the World Cup final and a few days after securing a runners-up finish in the Six Nations Championship – the side's best performance in that tournament since 2003.

Independent

A few other winners and runners up were gobbled up by Facebook, including Gowalla (Runner Up for Best Mobile Application at the 3rd Crunchies) and FriendFeed (Winner of the Best new Startup of 2008 award), which are both now part of Zuck's growing army.

TechCrunch

This is based on the fact that these are relatively new markets with smaller teams — it takes one full-time employee and 10 or fewer runners to spin up a market.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use the plural form "runners-up" when referring to more than one second-place finisher. For example, "The competition had a few runners-up who all received honorable mentions."

Common error

Avoid using the singular form "runner up" when referring to multiple individuals. The correct phrasing is "runners-up" to denote more than one person or entity that finished in second place.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a few runner up" is grammatically incorrect. It attempts to identify multiple second-place finishers but uses a singular noun form. The correct form is "a few runners-up". The Ludwig AI confirms the error and provides suggestions for correct usage.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

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Less common in

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "a few runner up" is identified by Ludwig as grammatically incorrect. The correct form is "a few runners-up", which uses the plural form to accurately denote multiple second-place finishers. While the intention is clear—to refer to several individuals or entities that nearly won—the incorrect grammar undermines the phrase's effectiveness. As noted by Ludwig AI, alternatives like "several second-place finishers" or "a handful of finalists" can be used to convey the same meaning with grammatical accuracy. Therefore, always remember to use the plural form "runners-up" to avoid this common error.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a few runners-up

Pluralizes "runner-up" to correctly indicate multiple second-place finishers.

several second-place finishers

Replaces "runner-up" with a more descriptive and grammatically sound phrase.

a handful of finalists

Uses "finalists" to encompass those who nearly won, maintaining a plural and correct form.

some close contenders

Emphasizes the competitive aspect and near-win status of the individuals.

a few near winners

Directly states they almost won, correcting the grammatical issue.

a couple of second-best

Informal rephrasing highlighting the near-winning status.

a small number of silver medalists

Uses "silver medalists" to represent those who came second.

a select group of underdogs

Suggests they were close to winning, implying a competitive spirit.

a minority of challengers

Focuses on their attempt to win and being close to the top.

a scattering of non-winners

Highlights their status of not achieving first place, though still participating.

FAQs

How do I correctly refer to multiple second-place finishers?

Use the plural form "runners-up". For example, "There were "a few runners-up" in the contest."

Is "a few runner up" grammatically correct?

No, it is grammatically incorrect. The correct phrase is ""a few runners-up"".

What's the difference between "runner-up" and "runners-up"?

"Runner-up" is singular, referring to one person or entity. "Runners-up" is plural, referring to multiple people or entities. Use "runner-up" for one and "runners-up" for more than one.

What are some alternative ways to say "a few runners-up"?

You can use phrases like "several second-place finishers", "a handful of finalists", or "some close contenders".