back seat

noun

variants or less commonly backseat
1
: a seat in the back (as of an automobile)
2
: a secondary or inferior position
… the issues and concerns that have sometimes been given a back seatAl Gore
see also take a back seat

Examples of back seat in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
So, what happens when strong personalities inside the family start taking over the steering, with the other members left in the back seat? David Crown, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026 Novoa urged parents to always check the back seat before leaving their vehicles. ABC News, 30 June 2026 The parent returned to the vehicle, checked the back seat and found the boy unresponsive. Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 30 June 2026 Check your back seat before leaving a car. Andrew Kozak, CBS News, 29 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for back seat

Word History

First Known Use

1715, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of back seat was in 1715

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Cite this Entry

“Back seat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/back%20seat. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.

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