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 seat …—
Al Gore
see also take a back seat
Al Gore
Examples of back seat in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
But she was thrown to the pavement and run over by her own car as the man drove away with Isaiah in the back seat, authorities said.
—Kyle Melnick, Washington Post, 17 Nov. 2023
One said Anderson could not have gotten off the shot from his position in the back seat of the Cadillac.
—Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2023
Mena lost consciousness as a result and McDowell took off in the truck, with Stephanie and Amy still in the back seat.
—Alexis Jones, Peoplemag, 29 Oct. 2023
Piling rods in a truck bed or jamming them in a trunk or back seat with other gear doesn’t make for an easy ride.
—Ric Burnley, Field & Stream, 25 Oct. 2023
As the passenger in the back seat steps out, so does the front seat passenger — the 16-year-old.
—David Hernandez, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Oct. 2023
In 2021, Taylor was charged with three counts of assault with a deadly weapon after he and another man were accused of shooting at a female driver while her two children were in the back seat.
—CBS News, 9 Nov. 2023
This classic lager made with Poland’s mineral-rich water is slightly sweet and malt-forward, with the hops taking the back seat.
—Thea Engst, Washington Post, 25 Oct. 2023
Aoki Lee Simmons, for one, was in the back seat, on her way to a Pat McGrath dinner, with her luscious curls.
—India Espy-Jones, Essence, 20 Oct. 2023
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Kyle Melnick, Washington Post, 17 Nov. 2023
One said Anderson could not have gotten off the shot from his position in the back seat of the Cadillac.
—Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2023
Mena lost consciousness as a result and McDowell took off in the truck, with Stephanie and Amy still in the back seat.
—Alexis Jones, Peoplemag, 29 Oct. 2023
Piling rods in a truck bed or jamming them in a trunk or back seat with other gear doesn’t make for an easy ride.
—Ric Burnley, Field & Stream, 25 Oct. 2023
As the passenger in the back seat steps out, so does the front seat passenger — the 16-year-old.
—David Hernandez, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Oct. 2023
In 2021, Taylor was charged with three counts of assault with a deadly weapon after he and another man were accused of shooting at a female driver while her two children were in the back seat.
—CBS News, 9 Nov. 2023
This classic lager made with Poland’s mineral-rich water is slightly sweet and malt-forward, with the hops taking the back seat.
—Thea Engst, Washington Post, 25 Oct. 2023
Aoki Lee Simmons, for one, was in the back seat, on her way to a Pat McGrath dinner, with her luscious curls.
—India Espy-Jones, Essence, 20 Oct. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'back seat.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1715, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Dictionary Entries Near back seat
Cite this Entry
“Back seat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/back%20seat. Accessed 10 Dec. 2023.
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