runner up
Lost the final
A runner-up is the person or team that finishes second in a competition, just behind the winner: The runner-up received a silver medal.
The term implies coming close to victory without achieving it.
In contexts with multiple losers, runners-up may refer to all non-winners who placed well: The top three runners-up also advanced to the finals.
- second bestRanked just below top
- semifinalistLast-four competitor remaining
- medalistCompetition award recipient
- podium finishTop three result
- contenderOne competing seriously
first loser · silver medal · competition · bittersweetness · tournament · alternate · near miss · so close · not quite · recognition · 2nd · bridesmaid · beauty queen · understudy · second · reserve · participant · qualifier
- rankingsrankings, first, college rankings, second, third
- chart termsnumber one, top ten, top forty, top twenty, top five
- Group Stagepool play, round robin, standings, points, goal difference
- successorsheir apparent, heir presumptive, next in line, crown prince, crown princess
- cue sportscue, cue ball, cue stick, snooker, pocket billiards
- comparisonscomparison, compare, comparative, analogy, metaphor
runner upwinner
One who prevails
champion · victor · first place · gold medalist · last place
runner upwinner
One who prevails
champion · triumphant · undisputed champion · reigning champion · titlist