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

Ambition takes a back seat, when nobody needs or wants to be in the manager. —Chris Westfall, Forbes, 18 Jan. 2025

But that objective should rightly take a back seat to higher priorities. —Richard Haass, Foreign Affairs, 6 Jan. 2025

But for decades it's taken a back seat to oil and gas, nuclear, hydrogen, wind, and solar. —Daniel Moore, Axios, 16 Dec. 2024

Cooking takes a back seat now, giving us more time to bond with our growing, healthy family. —Editors Of Bon Appétit, Bon Appétit, 1 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1838, in the meaning defined above