second fiddle
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.
Unilever’s food unit has long played second fiddle to personal care.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 29, 2026
Tesla might end up playing second fiddle to another Elon Musk company on its own earnings call.
From MarketWatch • Jan. 26, 2026
For generations City played second fiddle in their own backyard to United, but they have ruled the roost over their local rivals since Alex Ferguson departed Old Trafford in 2013.
From Barron's • Jan. 16, 2026
It's now seen as second fiddle to the track and road, but it's the purist form of distance running for me.
From BBC • Jan. 8, 2026
Teresina was the one whom he chiefly devoted himself to, and, to my no small disgust, I found myself quite playing second fiddle.
From The Serapion Brethren, Vol. I. by Hoffmann, Ernst Theodor Wilhelm
