second best 
adjective
Next after the best: his second-best suit...
- So as noted, being on call Thanksgiving is the second-best scenario.
- The second-best luck is to have bought a house in Vancouver or Toronto 40, 50, 60 years ago.
- Majority rule is a second-best solution: Less than half the voters are denied their preferences.
noun
A less adequate or less desirable alternative: he would have to settle for second best...
- In routine ways, we are mostly happy to settle for the second best or intellectual handouts.
- Now, I favor second bests in many situations, but first you have to show that the best isn't feasible.
- If we can't find the exact time, then the time it was first reported is a good second best.
Phrases
come off second best
- volar
- volary
- volatile
- volatile acidity
- volatileness
- volatile oil
- volatilise
- volatility
- volatilizable
- volatilization
- volatilize
- vol-au-vent
- volcan
- volcanean
- volcanian
- volcanic
- volcanically
- volcanic arc
- volcanic ash
- volcanic bomb
- volcanic cone
- volcanic explosivity index
- volcanic glass
- volcanicity
- volcaniclastic