Collocations for "second"
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word "second" in context.
WordReference English Collocations © 2025
second
ⓘMost examples are given in US English. We have labeled exceptions as UK.adj
- [finished, came in] second in the [race, competition]
- took second [place, prize]
- won second prize [in, for]
- is second in [sales, quality]
- (is) second only to
- is second in command (to)
- is the second [most, least] [common, frequent]
- the second [largest, fastest]
- second quarter [profits, spending]
- the second [year, month, day] in a row
- the second [edition, chapter, page]
- happened on the second day of
- (for) [the, a] second time
- the second generation of
- the second [person, officer] in command
- in the second round
- his second [foul, penalty]
- he is [going, batting] second
- is (only) second rate
- [won't, refuse to] play second [fiddle, violin] (to)
- (the) second house on the [left, right]
- is my second home
- is like a second home to me
- [gifted, blessed] with second sight
- [one, 10, 30] seconds
- every second [counts, helps]
- the [race, reply, call] lasted [10] seconds
- [wait, hold on] a second (that can't be right)
- just give me a (quick) second
- just need a (quick) second to [go, do, finish]
- their [eyes, glances] met for a second
- counted down the seconds (to midnight)
- I didn't [think, imagine] for a second that
- not for a second
- who [wants, would like] seconds?
- can I have seconds of [dessert, pasta]?
- the [coach's, president's, director's] second
- [played for, coached, ran] the club's seconds
- is his second-in-command
- [shift, change, crunch] the [gear, car] into second
- without a second's [thought, doubt, hesitation]
- [the clock's, my watch's] second hand
- the second hand (of the clock)
- I second [the motion, the nomination, the proposal, that]
- [the motion] was seconded by
- seconded by [her, the council, the jury]
- seconded to [approve, accept, authorize, adjourn]
- UK: were seconded to [other units, the Ministry of Health]
- seconded for [approval]
- seconded and [approved]
- I second [the motion, the nomination, the proposal, that]
- [one, 10, 30] seconds
- [the clock's, my watch's] second hand
- [finished, came in] second in the [race, competition]
- [the motion] was seconded by
- every second [counts, helps]
- the second hand (of the clock)
- took second [place, prize]
- seconded by [her, the council, the jury]
- the [race, reply, call] lasted [10] seconds
- won second prize [in, for]
- seconded to [approve, accept, authorize, adjourn]
- [wait, hold on] a second (that can't be right)
- was a second-place finisher
- UK: were seconded to [other units, the Ministry of Health]
- just give me a (quick) second
- is second in [sales, quality]
- seconded for [approval]
- just need a (quick) second to [go, do, finish]
- (is) second only to
- seconded and [approved]
- their [eyes, glances] met for a second
- is second in command (to)
- counted down the seconds (to midnight)
- is the second [most, least] [common, frequent]
- I didn't [think, imagine] for a second that
- the second [largest, fastest]
- not for a second
- second quarter [profits, spending]
- who [wants, would like] seconds?
- the second [year, month, day] in a row
- can I have seconds of [dessert, pasta]?
- the second [edition, chapter, page]
- the [coach's, president's, director's] second
- happened on the second day of
- [played for, coached, ran] the club's seconds
- (for) [the, a] second time
- is his second-in-command
- the second generation of
- [shift, change, crunch] the [gear, car] into second
- second-generation [immigrant, Irish, technology]
- without a second's [thought, doubt, hesitation]
- the second [person, officer] in command
- in the second round
- his second [foul, penalty]
- he is [going, batting] second
- is (only) second rate
- a second-rate [performance, citizen]
- [won't, refuse to] play second [fiddle, violin] (to)
- (the) second house on the [left, right]
- is my second home
- is like a second home to me
- [gifted, blessed] with second sight
'second' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
B
- December
- January
- November
- October
- acquisition
- advent
- advert
- advertisement
- aftermath
- album
- ally
- amendment
- apartment
- base
- batch
- blank
- borrow
- broccoli
- burn
- bye
- cancellation
- chamber
- chance
- chef
- chicken out
- chime
- clock
- coat
- coating
- college
- come
- coming
- command
- content
- cookie
- copy
- count
- cousin
- cup
- damned
- deck
- declare
- decree
- degree
- deserve
- desk
- dial
- digest
- distant