it came in second

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "it came in second" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to a ranking or position in a competition, race, or any scenario where items or individuals are placed in order of performance. Example: "In the recent marathon, she trained hard and ultimately, it came in second, just behind the winner."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

12 human-written examples

Even so, it came in second on its opening weekend, pulling in a respectable $19.7 million.

Forbes

On the opening day of Cowboys & Aliens, estimates showed that its opening day gross was $13.0 million and it came in second place to The Smurfs opening day gross of $13.3 million.

Wikipedia

It came in second in the "most improved airport" category.

The New York Times

In Saxony it came in second with 18.9% of the vote.

The Economist

But in October it came in second in the parliamentary vote and opted not to run a Presidential candidate.

The New Yorker

It came in second this weekend, after "Mission: Impossible," and has grossed more than $144 million in three weeks.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

48 human-written examples

In its second week it came in eighth place with $4.4 million on 1,229 screens in 20 markets for a total of $11.8 million.

Wikipedia

It came in third, with nearly 10percentt.

The New York Times

It came in third in the Michigan survey.

The New York Times

It said it came in first in a 2010 spam test conducted by the Fraunhofer Institute.

The New York Times

It came in fifth out of 135 countries in the World Economic Forum's "Global Gender Gap" report.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "it came in second" to clearly and concisely indicate the runner-up position in a competition, ranking, or order. Ensure the context makes it clear what "it" refers to.

Common error

Avoid using "it came in second" when the context doesn't clearly define what "it" refers to. Always ensure the subject is unambiguous to prevent confusion.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it came in second" primarily functions as a predicate in a sentence, indicating the final placement or ranking of a subject. According to Ludwig, the phrase is correct and usable. The Examples from Ludwig demonstrate its use in various contexts to denote the runner-up position.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

42%

Wiki

19%

Sports

13%

Less common in

Formal & Business

7%

Opinion

4%

Science

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "it came in second" is a grammatically sound and commonly used expression to denote the runner-up position in various contexts, as confirmed by Ludwig AI. Predominantly found in News & Media and Wiki sources, it serves the purpose of reporting outcomes in a clear and concise manner. For alternative phrasings, consider options such as "it finished as runner-up" or "it took the second spot". When using this phrase, ensure the subject "it" is clearly defined within the context to avoid ambiguity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it finished as runner-up

Replaces "came in second" with "finished as runner-up" to emphasize the completion of the event.

it ended in second place

Replaces "came in second" with "ended in second place", stressing the final result.

it took the second spot

Substitutes "came in second" with "took the second spot", highlighting the attainment of the position.

it was the second-place finisher

Rephrases to specify the subject as the "second-place finisher", clarifying the role.

it secured second position

Uses "secured second position" instead of "came in second" to suggest a more active achievement.

it achieved the second rank

Employs "achieved the second rank" to emphasize accomplishment.

it ranked second

Simplifies the phrase to "ranked second", focusing on the numerical ranking.

it gained the silver medal

Uses a specific reward, "silver medal", to imply second place in a competition.

it was second

A more concise alternative, simply stating "it was second".

it closely trailed the leader

Describes the proximity to first place rather than explicitly stating second place.

FAQs

How can I use "it came in second" in a sentence?

Use "it came in second" to denote that something or someone finished in the position immediately after the winner. For example, "Despite a strong effort, "the team" it came in second in the championship".

What are some alternatives to "it came in second"?

You can use alternatives like "it finished as runner-up", "it took the second spot", or "it ranked second" depending on the context.

Is "it came in second" grammatically correct?

Yes, "it came in second" is grammatically correct. It follows standard English sentence structure and is widely used and understood.

What's the difference between "it came in second" and "it finished second"?

While both phrases are similar, "it finished second" is more concise. "it came in second" might imply a more detailed process or competition involved, while "it finished second" simply states the final result.