1
as in has-been
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2
as in entrant
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of also-ran
Listen to the podcast in full, and hear more of our favorites and also-rans from Venice and Telluride, below.
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Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2025
Achilles tendon ruptures to three then-Eastern Conference All-Stars have cracked open a championship window for recent perpetual also-rans like the Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers.
—Alex Kirschenbaum, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Aug. 2025
The Hoosiers were an also-ran for decades, with one Rose Bowl appearance ever and one winning record in a non-COVID-19 season since 1995.
—Eddie Pells, Chicago Tribune, 26 Aug. 2025
His mother told him don't be an also-ran to the first wife’s sons.
—Edward Felsenthal, Time, 23 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for also-ran
Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2025
Achilles tendon ruptures to three then-Eastern Conference All-Stars have cracked open a championship window for recent perpetual also-rans like the Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers.
—Alex Kirschenbaum, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Aug. 2025
The Hoosiers were an also-ran for decades, with one Rose Bowl appearance ever and one winning record in a non-COVID-19 season since 1995.
—Eddie Pells, Chicago Tribune, 26 Aug. 2025
His mother told him don't be an also-ran to the first wife’s sons.
—Edward Felsenthal, Time, 23 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for also-ran
Recent Examples of Synonyms for also-ran
Noun
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DiCaprio makes a great, vital has-been, squinting at the horrors around him in disbelief, but mostly, driven by the need to protect his child.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
18 Sep. 2025
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And as alcoholic has-been Morris, Matthau was fantastically slovenly and cynical, an anti–role model for the ages.—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
25 July 2025
Noun
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The Premier League, meanwhile, has six entrants in this season’s edition, and several of those will fancy their chances of lifting the trophy in Budapest on May 30, 2026.—
The Athletic UK Staff,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
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Having once imagined himself on the festival stage, Fuad is now a two-time entrant, sharing deeply personal stories with the audiences who first inspired him.—
Essie Assibu,
Variety,
30 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Or take or go—these being the next two largest entries by bytes.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Sep. 2025
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By the entry, vans with tinted windows pulled in to deliver more detainees.—
Jon Lee Anderson,
New Yorker,
29 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Also-ran.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/also-ran. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
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