take a back seat

idiomatic phrase

variants or take a backseat

: to have or assume a secondary position or status : to be or become less important, active, or powerful

Howard loved directing "more than I even thought I would," and his acting career has taken a back seat ever since.

—Newsweek

That's why Bryant's willingness to tone down his game is significant. It doesn't mean, however, that he's content to take a backseat indefinitely.

—Phil Taylor

—often used with to

Physically and emotionally, these guys take a back seat to no one.

—Mark Vancil

Examples of take a back seat in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Slim sneakers For the second summer in a row, chunky sneakers are taking a back seat to their slimmer, sportier cousins. —Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 21 June 2024

That history, of a glittery New York whose underbelly was found in the bedrooms and hallways of the ruling class, took a back seat to Van Sant’s impactful career. —Matt Donnelly, Variety, 12 June 2024

Not everyone's a big Pencil user—for some of us, handwriting long ago took a back seat to typing—but Apple is aggressively selling these kinds of flashy features for those who want that experience. —Samuel Axon, Ars Technica, 10 June 2024

The story, involving a group of sheep heading into the city to bring back their farmer, takes a back seat to an endless barrage of gags. —Barry Levitt, Vulture, 31 May 2024

Unfortunately, this planning took a back seat as the war entered a new phase. —Eric Ciaramella, Foreign Affairs, 22 May 2024

Cannes Film Festival At a Cannes Film Festival of big swings and face-plants, real life takes a back seat. —Christian Orozco, Los Angeles Times, 20 May 2024

But the Bentonville boom takes a back seat to the real reason behind Walmart’s headquarter transformation. —Rachel Ventresca, Fortune, 7 June 2024

The sense of smell, which usually takes a back seat, rose in public consciousness. —Ambuj Tewari, The Conversation, 30 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1838, in the meaning defined above