second tier
Not quite top
Second tier describes something ranked below the top level but above lower categories—good but not elite.
Universities, athletes, and companies get sorted this way: He ended up at a second-tier law school.
The term often carries slight dismissiveness, implying not quite good enough for the first tier.
Also written second-tier when used as an adjective before a noun.
- backupStored duplicate for recovery
- plan BAlternative when primary fails
- minor leaguesProfessional development tiers
- benchShared seating surface
- bench warmerSeldom-used team member
back bench · reserve · understudy · B-list · runner-up · supporting · fallback · subordinate · lesser · middling · mediocre · not quite · also-ran · substitute · alternative · auxiliary · JV · farm team
- tiers
- hierarchyrank, ranked, authority, command, reporting
- rankingsrankings, first, college rankings, third, ratings
- ranksrank and file, enlisted ranks, officer rank, enlisted rank, upper echelon
- theater seatingmezzanine, orchestra, balcony, gallery, stalls
- middle levelslevel two, level three, stage two, stage three, phase two
second tierfirst-rate
Of superior quality
world-class · elite · premier · top-notch · A-list
second tiertop priority
Most important item
first priority · primary · paramount · central · core
second tiertop tier
Highest rank possible
first tier · upper echelon · apex · pinnacle · summit
second, tier, seconds, secondly, secondary, seconded, seconding, tiers, tiered