second best adjective 2noun 2forms 1 adjective2 •Inferior to the best (but better than other alternatives).I had to make do with a second-best alternative. •Characterized by one or more optimality conditions not being satisfiable. noun2 •Something (or someone) that is inferior to the best (but better than other alternatives).And so makeshift and second-best have continued. — 1956 •A situation where one or more optimality conditions cannot be satisfied. formssecond bests
