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.

Somehow, the weird, wacky also-ran had ballooned into the most surefire awards juggernaut in recent memory — every award everywhere all at once! — a trajectory that echoes the drama of the movie itself.

From Los Angeles Times

They also hint that Paranthropus, often seen as an also-ran in the story of human evolution, might have made or at least used tools.

From Science Magazine

In two years, George Santos went from being a little-known also-ran to a beacon of the Republican Party’s unexpected resurgence in a deep-blue state.

From Seattle Times

As the also-ran network, ABC sought star power and innovation.

From Washington Post

But in an unusual maneuver, the IOC simultaneously awarded Los Angeles the 2028 Games, making the city both an also-ran and a winner.

From Los Angeles Times