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
Playing second fiddle to freshman sensation Jazzy Davidson (10 points) and Dunn (11 points), the senior guard couldn’t imprint her mark in Westwood on Saturday, shooting 1-for-9 from the field.
—
Benjamin Royer, Daily News, 4 Jan. 2026
So important, that other goals might play second fiddle.
—Hillary Stalker, Nashville Tennessean, 24 Dec. 2025
Unfortunately, similar to the (albeit heartwarming) tale between a restaurant garbage boy and Remy the rat, O’Connor — much like Linguini — was stuck playing second fiddle tonight on SNL, puppeted to and fro from sketch to sketch that sidelined his comedic talents.
—Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 13 Dec. 2025
Down ⬇ Joachim Trier, Sentimental Value Panahi’s rise has sapped momentum from Neon’s other big foreign-language contender, which is now playing second fiddle to its stablemate.
—Nate Jones, Vulture, 5 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for second fiddle
Benjamin Royer, Daily News, 4 Jan. 2026
So important, that other goals might play second fiddle.
—Hillary Stalker, Nashville Tennessean, 24 Dec. 2025
Unfortunately, similar to the (albeit heartwarming) tale between a restaurant garbage boy and Remy the rat, O’Connor — much like Linguini — was stuck playing second fiddle tonight on SNL, puppeted to and fro from sketch to sketch that sidelined his comedic talents.
—Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 13 Dec. 2025
Down ⬇ Joachim Trier, Sentimental Value Panahi’s rise has sapped momentum from Neon’s other big foreign-language contender, which is now playing second fiddle to its stablemate.
—Nate Jones, Vulture, 5 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for second fiddle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for second fiddle
Noun
-
The robots also mastered high-speed cluster repositioning at speeds of 4 meters per second.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Less remembered is that GCU led by 12 midway through the second half before SDSU rallied and took the lead on Simmons’ tip-in with 58 seconds left.—
Mark Zeigler,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The agency is working with its partners to stop hackers from exploiting any of the vulnerabilities identified in the report, said Nick Andersen, CISA’s executive assistant director for cybersecurity.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
5 Feb. 2026
-
But the university wanted a coach with more experience, Hunt said, and instead hired Bob Sundvold — a head coach at nearby Division II Central Missouri and, previously, a longtime assistant at Mizzou under the legendary Norm Stewart.—
PJ Green,
Kansas City Star,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Coventry’s and Mansfield’s fire departments provided mutual aid and representatives from UConn facilities operations, farm services, and the building inspector’s office also reported to the scene.—
Sean Krofssik,
Hartford Courant,
15 Feb. 2026
-
The man was moved to a safe location for medical aid but was later pronounced dead.—
Jordan B. Darling,
Daily News,
15 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
His members include special education and teacher aides, cafeteria workers, custodians, gardeners and bus drivers.—
Howard Blume,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2026
-
The Army claimed McCarthy and Cohn, his chief counsel, had pressured the Army to give preferential treatment to David Schine, a McCarthy aide with whom Cohn was infatuated.—
Kristen Monroe,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Anthony Anderson, 40, died when two sheriff’s deputies opened fire on him outside a house in the Fairmont Terrace neighborhood between San Leandro and Hayward, according to his mother, Kristina Anderson.—
Jakob Rodgers,
Mercury News,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Rodgers, a former deputy chief of strategic initiatives in Dallas ISD, came to DeSoto ISD in 2022, at a time when the district needed stability.—
Silas Allen,
Dallas Morning News,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
At the time, there were an estimated 450 greater adjutant storks left in the region.—
Kyla Mandel,
TIME,
20 Feb. 2025
-
Since 2019, when Woodward took over as the Gooding adjutant, that totals more than $23,000, according to an accounting obtained by the Statesman from the county clerk through a public records request.—
Kevin Fixler,
Idaho Statesman,
13 July 2024
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
Cite this Entry
“Second fiddle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/second%20fiddle. Accessed 18 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
