second only to

phrase

: only less important than (something or someone)
Rice is second only to corn as the state's major crop.

Examples of second only to in a Sentence

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
India's internet and smartphone user base is second only to China, which more than a decade ago banned American social media and messaging apps, leading to the rise of local players such as WeChat, Weibo and Douyin. — Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 30 July 2026 According to Becker’s and per the Identify Theft Resource Center, healthcare data breaches climbed to 281 in just the first half of 2026; the number is second only to the financial services industry, which had 387 encounters in the same time period. — Forbes.com, 29 July 2026 And now, for five nights in July, Phish, barrelling toward its 100th show here, second only to Billy Joel in MSG prolificacy. — Claire Howorth, Vanity Fair, 29 July 2026 The company said the median one-bedroom in the city reached $4,180/month, up 3% from the previous month and second only to New York City, at $4,560/month. — Tim Fang, CBS News, 29 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for second only to

Rhymes for second only to

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Browse Nearby Words

second officer
second only to
second opinion
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Cite this Entry

“Second only to.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/second%20only%20to. Accessed 6 Aug. 2026.

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