backseat

American  

[bak-seet] / ˈbækˈsit /

noun

1. a seat at the rear.

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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.

Etymology

Origin of backseat

First recorded in 1825–35

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Explanation

When you ride in the backseat of a car, you sit in the row of seats behind the driver. Kids sometimes fight over the front seat, not wanting to sit in the backseat. You can travel in the backseat of a automobile, unless you're the driver or are riding in a two-seat sports car. Another way to use the word backseat is to describe "an inferior position." If you take a backseat to your older brother, it means he tends to get all the attention. The word, more commonly written as back seat, was used in the 1800s to talk about riding in coaches and carriages.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

backseat

For the RBA, the housing market downturn will likely take a backseat it grapples with inflation of more that 4.0% year-on-year, which threatens to move further away from its 2.5% target in the near term.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 2, 2026

On this occasion the spinners took a backseat – Adil Rashid and Dawson sent down only four overs between them.

From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026

The first is that artificial intelligence is still fueling earnings and spending, with everything else taking a backseat.

From Barron's ● Jun. 8, 2026

And later this summer, USC will open a $200-million football facility — a rarity in an age when such spending has more often taken a backseat.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 31, 2026

Bat relaxed in the backseat as Janie told Dad about her day.

From "A Boy Called Bat" by Elana K. Arnold

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