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.
While pumpkin pie spice tends to be very cinnamon-forward, cinnamon takes more of a back seat in Spicewalla’s chai masala, which packs more heat than pumpkin spice thanks to the pepper and cloves included in the mix. Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 13 Nov. 2025 The female passenger in the back seat was critically injured. Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 12 Nov. 2025 The back seat gives a really good view of your passengers. Neil Senturia, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Nov. 2025 Donkeys were stuffed in cars’ back seats. Literary Hub, 10 Nov. 2025 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

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Cite this Entry

“Back seat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/back%20seat. Accessed 18 Nov. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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