second only to
idiom
: 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
Recent Examples on the Web
California is about 40% Hispanic, about the same as Texas and second only to New Mexico at 50%.
—
Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 23 May 2024
It is also listed as the second-highest spender on lobbying in Idaho this year, according to the secretary of state’s office — second only to Young Americans for Liberty, a libertarian group that lobbied for a bill to subsidize private education last year.
—Becca Savransky, Idaho Statesman, 20 May 2024
Those piers, coupled with the CONSOL Energy Baltimore Marine terminal in the Canton Industrial Area, accounted for 28% of the nation’s coal exports last year, according to census data, second only to the greater Norfolk, Virginia, harbor.
—Dillon Mullan, Baltimore Sun, 3 Apr. 2024
The Los Angeles area has one of the country’s largest Jewish populations, and the state’s Jewish population is second only to New York in this country.
—David Lightman, Sacramento Bee, 28 May 2024
In my opinion, The Brothers Karamazov is second only to Anna Karenina in the Russian-novel world.
—Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 28 May 2024
In the mid-19th century, Nightingale became perhaps the most celebrated woman of her era – second only to Queen Victoria – for instituting sanitation practices that sharply cut death rates among British soldiers fighting in the Crimean War.
—Melissa Pritchard, Discover Magazine, 24 May 2024
The state police response was second only to U.S. Border Patrol, which saw nearly 150 agents respond.
—Danielle Wallace, Fox News, 23 May 2024
Between 1890 and 1910, the region was booming and grew to become one of the greatest concentrations of industry in the city, second only to the Menomonee Valley.
—Drake Bentley, Journal Sentinel, 20 May 2024
Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 23 May 2024
It is also listed as the second-highest spender on lobbying in Idaho this year, according to the secretary of state’s office — second only to Young Americans for Liberty, a libertarian group that lobbied for a bill to subsidize private education last year.
—Becca Savransky, Idaho Statesman, 20 May 2024
Those piers, coupled with the CONSOL Energy Baltimore Marine terminal in the Canton Industrial Area, accounted for 28% of the nation’s coal exports last year, according to census data, second only to the greater Norfolk, Virginia, harbor.
—Dillon Mullan, Baltimore Sun, 3 Apr. 2024
The Los Angeles area has one of the country’s largest Jewish populations, and the state’s Jewish population is second only to New York in this country.
—David Lightman, Sacramento Bee, 28 May 2024
In my opinion, The Brothers Karamazov is second only to Anna Karenina in the Russian-novel world.
—Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 28 May 2024
In the mid-19th century, Nightingale became perhaps the most celebrated woman of her era – second only to Queen Victoria – for instituting sanitation practices that sharply cut death rates among British soldiers fighting in the Crimean War.
—Melissa Pritchard, Discover Magazine, 24 May 2024
The state police response was second only to U.S. Border Patrol, which saw nearly 150 agents respond.
—Danielle Wallace, Fox News, 23 May 2024
Between 1890 and 1910, the region was booming and grew to become one of the greatest concentrations of industry in the city, second only to the Menomonee Valley.
—Drake Bentley, Journal Sentinel, 20 May 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'second only to.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near second only to
Cite this Entry
“Second only to.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/second%20only%20to. Accessed 12 Jun. 2024.
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