seconds 1 of 3

noun (1)

plural of second
as in minutes
a very small space of time I'll be ready in a second

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

seconds

2 of 3

noun (2)

plural of second
as in discards
something separated from a group or lot for not being as good as the others the slightly flawed linens were sold as seconds

Synonyms & Similar Words

seconds

3 of 3

verb

present tense third-person singular of second
as in sides (with)

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of seconds
Noun
With 33 seconds left in Round 9, Itauma’s trainer Ben Davison threw in the towel, leaving Hrgović to celebrate making history. — Sarah Shephard, New York Times, 30 Aug. 2026 Minutes later the finalists will fight to stay on the back of 2,000-pound animals with names like Man Hater and Buck Nasty for eight excruciating seconds, and then dodge the bull's hooves and horns when they're tossed to the ground. — Christine Lennon, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Aug. 2026 The former Liberty North star scored with 5 minutes, 15 seconds remaining in the first quarter. — Pj Green august 30, Kansas City Star, 30 Aug. 2026 After 31 minutes and 41 seconds, the telescope separated from the rocket and began its journey to orbit around the second sun-Earth Lagrange point, a gravitational balance point roughly 1 million miles from Earth. — Kayla Hayempour, NBC news, 30 Aug. 2026 Mercedes was legit busted open from the nose seconds into the match. — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026 Edwards also drew that final, game-clinching penalty on a hard count, with 40 seconds to go. — Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 30 Aug. 2026 An inquiry requested by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Noreen entered the nursery and emerged eight seconds later carrying the baby. — ABC News, 30 Aug. 2026 His score with 44 seconds remaining set the final margin at a 62-0 shutout. — Raul Avila, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for seconds
  1. minutes
  2. discards
  3. assists
  4. heartbeats
  5. aids
  6. moments
  7. helps
Noun
  • In the second quarter, the Dream’s first basket didn’t come until a little over three minutes into the period.
    — Micahya Costen, AJC.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Just 10 minutes from Lagos and 15 minutes from Portimão, Palmares strikes an ideal balance between accessibility and seclusion.
    — Jeff Goudy, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of minutes
Noun
  • And defunct iIndustry supplied artistic entrepreneurs with adaptable real-estate discards, like London’s Bankside Power Station, which evolved into Herzog & de Meuron’s Tate Modern.
    — Justin Davidson, Curbed, 29 July 2026
  • Li has dedicated freezer bags for different dishes, like vegetable scraps for soups or fruit discards for smoothies.
    — Emily Siner, NPR, 27 June 2026
Definition of discards
Verb
  • Walking before a meal helps burn stored fat efficiently and assists with weight loss.
    — Audrey Noble, Vogue, 20 Aug. 2026
  • And artists deserve a fair pay percentage for work that assists their employers in making profits.
    — Pat Saperstein, Variety, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of assists
Noun
  • Simpson was diagnosed with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, a rare heart condition that can cause irregular heartbeats and sudden cardiac death in seemingly healthy individuals, per John Hopkins Medicine.
    — Raven Brunner, PEOPLE, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Everything in the body runs in vibratory cycles from heartbeats to brainwaves to sleep-wake cycles.
    — Ginny Whitelaw, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of heartbeats
Verb
  • Posture is often more important than vitality, since deathblows can be activated even if an enemy has high health, but higher health also aids faster posture recovery, both for Wolf and his enemies.
    — Aman Kumar, Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The Ocean Between Them costars Riverdale’s Karl Walcott, and Dane appears as Ashley, Joan’s youngest daughter, who aids her in the search.
    — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of aids
Noun
  • There’s also been lots of moments to dress up for too, with megawatt tours from Harry Styles, Ariana Grande, and Zara Larsson; maximalist pop stars with fans eager to follow their lead in sequins and ties, hibiscus flowers in hair.
    — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 31 Aug. 2026
  • In its bleakest moments, the novel suggests that the ordeal of being gay in a venomously bigoted society negates its bounty.
    — Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of moments
Verb
  • Doing so helps ensure the other person's silence doesn't determine when you're allowed to feel OK again.
    — Angela Haupt, Time, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The account connection helps verify that votes are coming from individual supporters and reduces the use of fake or duplicate accounts.
    — Ethan M. Stone, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of helps

Browse Nearby Words

second-rateness
seconds
second sight
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Seconds.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/seconds. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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