| HYPH | Like runner-ups, for short |
| PTAS | School groups for grown-ups, for short |
| RAS | They may do write-ups, for short |
| ABS | Muscles engaged in sit-ups, for short |
| ADS | Website pop-ups for short |
| EXECS | Corporate higher-ups, for short |
| EDS | Magazine higher-ups, for short |
| PECS | Muscles worked by push-ups for short |
| LAT | Back muscle strengthened by pull-ups for short |
| LATS | Muscles developed by pull-ups, for short |
| VPS | Some company higher-ups, for short |
| PEC | Muscle targeted by push-ups for short |
| BIOS | "About the author" write-ups, for short |
| SECOND | Back the runner-up for a short time (6) |
| MISSUSA | Halle Berry was once runner-up for this |
| ROWLING | Best-selling author who was a runner-up for Time's 2007 Person of the Year |
| GORE | Time's runner-up for 2007 Person of the Year |
| BETH | ____ Mead, English women's footballer who was runner-up for the 2022 Ballon d'Or (4) |
| MANNYMACHADO | San Diego Padres star who was runner-up for the 2022 NL MVP |
| BALLETSHOES | 1936 children's novel by Noel Streatfeild, runner-up for the inaugural Carnegie Medal (6,5) |
