also-ran

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Even classical music listeners have their version in what may be the most legendary rivalry of all — the one that also-ran Italian composer Antonio Salieri supposedly nursed with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

From Salon • May 16, 2026

Coming into the AI boom, Google Cloud was an also-ran among the big clouds.

From Barron's • May 1, 2026

That’s when May also learned the unfortunate consequences of turning an also-ran into a Final Four team.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 5, 2026

But so many better horror features have been constructed along the same lines—“X,” “House of 1000 Corpses”— that this one comes across as merely a tedious also-ran.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026

Maybe a part of me loves her because she’s the eternal also-ran, a lot like me.

From "I Am the Messenger" by Markus Zusak