backseat

[ bak-seet ]

noun

1. a seat at the rear.

Word History and Origins

Origin of backseat¹

First recorded in 1825–35

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. take a backseat, to occupy a secondary or inferior position:

   Her writing has taken a backseat because of other demands on her time.

Example Sentences

Not too big and not too small, the 27-quart chest fits easily onto the backseat of my car.

From Outside Online

Jones said those cuts, which saved the city $5,000 this fiscal year, shows that the needs of ordinary citizens take a backseat at City Hall.

From Voice of San Diego

In La Jolla, San Diego’s mayoral race seems to have taken a backseat to the all-consuming presidential election, even in Barbara Bry’s backyard.

From Voice of San Diego

Suddenly the cherry moves to the backseat of your conscious awareness, while the vanilla aroma pops into focus—even though you had not noticed it before.

From Nautilus

Add a kid or two in the backseat, and your car literally can become a rolling dumpster before you even realize it’s happening.

From Popular-Science

If I do, I sit in the backseat and stay alert for whatever the driver does.

From The Daily Beast

My mother was sitting in the backseat but that did not stop the driver from trying to touch me.

From The Daily Beast

If it gave people some kind of joy afterwards, great, but everything took a backseat.

From The Daily Beast

And it involves the U.S. taking a backseat to Iran and Syria.

From The Daily Beast

David Garcia is attempting to make a phone call in the backseat.

From The Daily Beast

The baggage—two trunks, a showman's keyster, two suitcases, a big duffle bag and handbags—was loaded on trailer and backseat.

From Project Gutenberg

He sat in the backseat of the car, and his hair dragged behind him.

From Project Gutenberg