take a back seat

idiomatic phrase

variants or take a backseat
: to have or assume a secondary position or status : to be or become less important, active, or powerful
Howard loved directing "more than I even thought I would," and his acting career has taken a back seat ever since.Newsweek
That's why Bryant's willingness to tone down his game is significant. It doesn't mean, however, that he's content to take a backseat indefinitely.Phil Taylor
often used with to
Physically and emotionally, these guys take a back seat to no one.Mark Vancil

Examples of take a 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.
The effortless and beachy hairstyle has taken a back seat in recent years to more polished styles like sleek bobs, liquid hair, and voluminous blowouts. Catharine Malzahn, Glamour, 18 Apr. 2025 But on this night at Ball Arena, a win Denver needed took a back seat Jokić being available for the first time in five games, and the rotation began a game intact for the first time since March 14 against the Los Angeles Lakers. Tony Jones, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2025 His promising early baseball career took a back seat in 1943 when he was taken into the Navy and served as a radio operator on the USS Coral Sea during World War II. Daniel Brown, The Athletic, 9 Mar. 2025 Much like those fairs, the Expo promised flying cars (this time courtesy of Uber), but the pretense of scientific innovation had taken a back seat to what was really on offer: tourism, tax breaks, and investment opportunities. Harper's Magazine, 27 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for take a back seat

Word History

First Known Use

1838, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of take a back seat was in 1838

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Cite this Entry

“Take a back seat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/take%20a%20back%20seat. Accessed 1 May. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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