back seat

noun

ˈbak-ˈsēt 

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

Examples of back seat in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Authorities say Jones suddenly slumped over in the driver's seat before Wesley climbed out of the back seat, pushed her body into the passenger seat, got behind the wheel and drove away. — Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 30 July 2026

Anguis was in the back seat with another defendant Apolinar Gocovachi Pacheco, 26. — Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 29 July 2026

In the clip, Foligno and his younger brother and Wild teammate, Marcus, sit in the back seat of an SUV, going on a road trip to show off Minnesota’s slate of games. — Joe Smith, New York Times, 27 July 2026

Things aren’t bad in the back seat either; thanks to the wheelbase there’s 39 inches (991 mm) of rear leg room, and the occupants have another couple of USB-C ports to keep their gadgets charged. — Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 21 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1715, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for back seat

• amit
• athlete
• backseat
• blackfeet
• broadsheet
• browbeat
• buckwheat
• compete
• compleat
• complete
• conceit
• concrete