Next to last is a term which refers to the second to the last in a series of items or events. It is a phrase commonly used in sports, academics, music, literature, and virtually every aspect of life. There are several synonyms for the phrase "next to last", which include penultimate, second last, before the last, second to last, and second from the end. Depending on the context, each word may have a more specific meaning, but they all refer to the same concept of being the second item before the final one. These synonyms can be used interchangeably to avoid repetition in writing or speech.