back seat

noun

variants or less commonly backseat
1
: a seat in the back (as of an automobile)
2
: a secondary or inferior position
… the issues and concerns that have sometimes been given a back seatAl Gore
see also take a back seat

Examples of back seat in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Ola Källenius is sitting in the back seat of the company's new S-Class sedan. Morgan Korn, ABC News, 19 Jan. 2026 Lang was seen on video trying to get into the back seat of an apparent good Samaritan's car, as agitators pulled the door back open, kicking into the vehicle. Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 18 Jan. 2026 Conversations about ordinary things are OK, but back seat passengers cause more brain-load. Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 18 Jan. 2026 Ramirez was found unresponsive in the back seat and later pronounced dead at a hospital. Christina Coulter, PEOPLE, 17 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for back seat

Word History

First Known Use

1715, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of back seat was in 1715

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Back seat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/back%20seat. Accessed 22 Jan. 2026.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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