second most

USAGE SUMMARY

"second most" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to refer to something that is not the most extreme in a set of two or more things. For example: "She was the second most successful contestant in the competition."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

48 human-written examples

"Second most dreaded," he prompted.

The New Yorker

Second Most Beloved Adjective Zen.

The New York Times

The second most famous?

The New York Times - Arts

The second most important is respect".

The New York Times

The second most important factor was leadership.

The New York Times

Parkinson's is the second most common.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

12 human-written examples

His second most-inspired?

The Guardian - Sport

(The second-most-important grip).

The New Yorker

"Second-most-played? Really?

The Guardian - Music

The second-most-planted white wine grape?

The New York Times - Food

The second-most unequal is Russia.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "second most", ensure that the context clearly establishes what is being ranked or compared. For example, "She was the "second most" successful candidate in the election, after John.".

Common error

Avoid using "second most" without specifying the group or criteria for comparison. Saying "This is the "second most" important thing" is vague if the reader doesn't know what things are being considered.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "second most" functions as an ordinal specifier, indicating the position immediately following the highest-ranked item in a set. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is a standard and acceptable construction in English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Science

25%

Academia

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Wiki

10%

Encyclopedias

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "second most" is a grammatically correct and widely used phrase for indicating the item or entity that ranks immediately after the highest in a given comparison. Ludwig AI confirms its validity and broad applicability. It's crucial to provide clear context when using "second most" to ensure the comparison group is well-defined. Alternatives like "runner-up" or "next highest" can offer nuanced variations, but "second most" remains a versatile choice for expressing ordinal relationships in various writing styles and contexts, particularly in News & Media, Science, and Academia.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

second-best

Highlights a quality or performance that's only surpassed by one other.

second highest

More explicit in stating the ranking order.

close second

Emphasizes that the difference between first and second place is small.

runner-up

Implies a direct competition where something finished immediately after the winner.

next highest

Focuses on the numerical or hierarchical position immediately below the highest.

number two

A more informal way of indicating the second position.

almost the best

Highlights the near-top quality or performance.

penultimate

Refers to the second to last item in a sequence.

second in command

Suggests a leadership hierarchy where someone is directly below the leader.

immediately following

Describes sequence by order in time after the first.

FAQs

How can I use "second most" in a sentence?

Use "second most" to indicate something ranks immediately after the top item in a comparison. For instance, "Chocolate is the "second most" popular ice cream flavor after vanilla."

What are some alternatives to saying "second most"?

You can use phrases like "runner-up", "next highest", or "second highest" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "second-most" with a hyphen?

Yes, "second-most" is also grammatically correct, especially when used as a compound adjective before a noun (e.g., "the second-most popular option"). Both "second most" and "second-most" are acceptable, though "second most" is more common.

What's the difference between "second most" and "most second"?

"Most second" is not a standard or grammatically correct phrase in English. Always use "second most" to indicate the item ranked immediately after the top item in a comparison.