second

UK:**UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈsɛkənd/

US:USA pronunciation: IPAUSA pronunciation: IPA/ˈsɛkənd/

US:USA pronunciation: respellingUSA pronunciation: respelling(sek′ənd for 1, 2; si kond′ for 3)


Collocations for "second"


Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word "second" in context.

WordReference English Collocations © 2026

second

ⓘMost examples are given in US English. We have labeled exceptions as UK.
adj
  1. [finished, came in] second in the [race, competition]
  2. took second [place, prize]
  3. won second prize [in, for]
  4. is second in [sales, quality]
  5. (is) second only to
  6. is second in command (to)
  7. is the second [most, least] [common, frequent]
  8. the second [largest, fastest]
  9. second quarter [profits, spending]
  10. the second [year, month, day] in a row
  11. the second [edition, chapter, page]
  12. happened on the second day of
  13. (for) [the, a] second time
  14. the second generation of
  15. the second [person, officer] in command
  16. in the second round
  17. his second [foul, penalty]
  18. he is [going, batting] second
  19. is (only) second rate
  20. [won't, refuse to] play second [fiddle, violin] (to)
  21. (the) second house on the [left, right]
  22. is my second home
  23. is like a second home to me
  24. [gifted, blessed] with second sight
n
  1. [one, 10, 30] seconds
  2. every second [counts, helps]
  3. the [race, reply, call] lasted [10] seconds
  4. [wait, hold on] a second (that can't be right)
  5. just give me a (quick) second
  6. just need a (quick) second to [go, do, finish]
  7. their [eyes, glances] met for a second
  8. counted down the seconds (to midnight)
  9. I didn't [think, imagine] for a second that
  10. not for a second
  11. who [wants, would like] seconds?
  12. can I have seconds of [dessert, pasta]?
  13. the [coach's, president's, director's] second
  14. [played for, coached, ran] the club's seconds
  15. is his second-in-command
  16. [shift, change, crunch] the [gear, car] into second
  17. without a second's [thought, doubt, hesitation]
n as adj
  1. [the clock's, my watch's] second hand
  2. the second hand (of the clock)
v
  1. I second [the motion, the nomination, the proposal, that]
  2. [the motion] was seconded by
  3. seconded by [her, the council, the jury]
  4. seconded to [approve, accept, authorize, adjourn]
  5. UK: were seconded to [other units, the Ministry of Health]
  6. seconded for [approval]
  7. seconded and [approved]
additional examples
  1. [finished, came in] second in the [race, competition]
  2. [one, 10, 30] seconds
  3. [the clock's, my watch's] second hand
  4. I second [the motion, the nomination, the proposal, that]
  5. took second [place, prize]
  6. every second [counts, helps]
  7. the second hand (of the clock)
  8. [the motion] was seconded by
  9. the [race, reply, call] lasted [10] seconds
  10. won second prize [in, for]
  11. seconded by [her, the council, the jury]
  12. was a second-place finisher
  13. [wait, hold on] a second (that can't be right)
  14. seconded to [approve, accept, authorize, adjourn]
  15. just give me a (quick) second
  16. UK: were seconded to [other units, the Ministry of Health]
  17. is second in [sales, quality]
  18. seconded for [approval]
  19. (is) second only to
  20. just need a (quick) second to [go, do, finish]
  21. seconded and [approved]
  22. their [eyes, glances] met for a second
  23. is second in command (to)
  24. is the second [most, least] [common, frequent]
  25. counted down the seconds (to midnight)
  26. the second [largest, fastest]
  27. I didn't [think, imagine] for a second that
  28. second quarter [profits, spending]
  29. not for a second
  30. who [wants, would like] seconds?
  31. the second [year, month, day] in a row
  32. can I have seconds of [dessert, pasta]?
  33. the second [edition, chapter, page]
  34. the [coach's, president's, director's] second
  35. happened on the second day of
  36. [played for, coached, ran] the club's seconds
  37. (for) [the, a] second time
  38. is his second-in-command
  39. the second generation of
  40. second-generation [immigrant, Irish, technology]
  41. [shift, change, crunch] the [gear, car] into second
  42. without a second's [thought, doubt, hesitation]
  43. the second [person, officer] in command
  44. in the second round
  45. his second [foul, penalty]
  46. he is [going, batting] second
  47. is (only) second rate
  48. a second-rate [performance, citizen]
  49. [won't, refuse to] play second [fiddle, violin] (to)
  50. (the) second house on the [left, right]
  51. is my second home
  52. is like a second home to me
  53. [gifted, blessed] with second sight
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'second' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
borrow - chicken out - come - deserve - finish - give - hang - love - marry - record - settle - slide - stand - steal - stress - take - tie - wait - apartment - base - burn - bye - chance - clock - coat - coming - copy - count - cousin - cup - degree - desk - doctor - down - flat - floor - frame - gear - glance - half - hand - home - husband - instance - job lot - language - layer - lead - left - leg

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