1,400 new words in our dictionary! — Parasocial, glow-up, promposal & more
1,400 new words in our dictionary! — More

second fiddle

noun

Definition of second fiddlenext
as in second

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of second fiddle My connoisseurship plays second fiddle to my status as a member of the clan. — Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 2 June 2026 The religion of college football is strong in the South, and everything else just plays second fiddle. — Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 23 May 2026 Bicycle tail lights have a way of playing second fiddle to their brighter, more interesting headlight siblings. — Ben Coxworth may 15, New Atlas, 15 May 2026 Colleen Camp, on the other hand, demonstrates a flair for light comedy as an alluring French maid, though the role too often requires her to play second fiddle to her own enhanced bosom. — Kirk Ellis, HollywoodReporter, 12 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for second fiddle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for second fiddle
  1. second
  2. assistant
  3. aid
  4. aide
  5. deputy
  6. adjutant
  7. coadjutor
Noun
  • Like the Series 12, the Ultra 4 can measure your heart rate every five seconds and checks heart rate variability (HRV) 24 times more often than the previous generations.
    — Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Please take 15 seconds out of your day to judge for yourself.
    — Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of second
Noun
  • Nana Menya Ayensu is an energy strategy and infrastructure technology investment executive and a former White House special assistant to the President on Climate Policy, Finance, and Innovation.
    — Nana Menya Ayensu, semafor.com, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Idzik was in his first year as a low-level offensive assistant with the Seattle Seahawks, whose staff was selected to coach the NFC team after an early exit from the 2019 playoffs.
    — Joseph Person, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of assistant
Noun
  • Chinese authorities this year proposed mutual aid elder care services to cover 70% of regions by 2030.
    — HUIYEE CHIEW AND LYRIC LI THE WASHINGTON POST, Arkansas Online, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Tour Edge used a titanium face fused with a stainless steel head and put weight low and deep to help launch the ball and aid in forgiveness.
    — Langston Wertz Jr, Charlotte Observer, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of aid
Noun
  • From 1968 to 1971, Capen served in the Department of Defense as a key aide to President Richard Nixon’s Secretary of Defense Melvin Laird.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 17 Sep. 2026
  • The race is between Woodland City Councilmember Mayra Vega and former county supervisor’s aide Dotty Pritchard.
    — Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of aide
Noun
  • The startled deputy lets out a scream and races back toward his patrol vehicle.
    — Stephen Sorace, FOXNews.com, 6 Sep. 2026
  • This week, multiple deputies in the Hall County Sheriff's Office resigned amid ongoing Flock misuse investigations.
    — Irene Wright, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of deputy
Noun
  • But that hasn’t stopped out-of-state reenactors from worrying their muskets will be confiscated at the George Washington Bridge, says Justin Costantino, adjutant of the Long Island Companies of the 3rd New York Regiment.
    — Allen G. Breed, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026
  • In the months since fellow senior Legion executives suspended Abrahamson without pay from his statewide adjutant job in April, a number of the roughly 8,000 members in Idaho have called for a change in leadership.
    — Kevin Fixler, Idaho Statesman, 13 July 2024
Definition of adjutant
Noun
  • Schnurr came to Cincinnati in 2008 as coadjutor archbishop and took over as archbishop about a year later, upon the retirement of former Archbishop Daniel Pilarczyk.
    — Dan Horn, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
  • By 1997, he was named coadjutor archbishop of Buenos Aires, assuming full leadership of the archdiocese the following year.
    — Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Apr. 2025
Definition of coadjutor

Browse Nearby Words

seconded
second fiddle
second fiddles
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Second fiddle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/second%20fiddle. Accessed 19 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 18
See More

Popular

See More

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
crayons-in-a-circle
Guess the Color Quiz Questions that use the whole box of crayons.
See All