also-ran
- noun
- /ˈɔlsoʊˌræn/
- In some ways, Apple is an "also-ran" in China—with market share south of 10%, according to reports.
- also-ran status
- become an also-ran
Examples
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Jack's reputation as perennial also-ran starts to bite.
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But the local football entry strives for something more than just being merely satisfied with barely eking out a victory over an also-ran that hasn't won in Foxboro in its last 13 trips, especially coming out of a bye.
Blog text (4) -
-While you two boys were content to sit back and be a couple of also-rans.
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Like President Reagan did with the Republican also-rans in 1980.
Blog text (1) -
Both are tablet also-rans, and there's no evidence either is going to be a serious player there either.
Blog text (22) -
If it were me, I'd rather have written something like that than a competently but dull also-ran.
Blog text (2) -
If the best women skiers win the right to race with men, then wouldn't that make the women's race little more than a lineup of "also-rans"?
Blog text (2) -
This fall, consumers will be able to choose from the widest-yet assortment of smartphone and tablet devices because Microsoft, a company that has been an also-ran in mobile computing for too long, has picked itself off the mat.
Blog text (1) -
These "also-rans" have connections, money, influence, elected power, wherewithal, and audacity that can be harnessed to help make the "change" mantra BHO claimed for himself a real reality.
Blog text (22) -
In the recent race, she finished fourth, marking her as an also-ran among the top competitors.
Synonyms
A person or team that does not win a competition
Antonyms
How Successful
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
Also-ran comes from old horse race reports that listed the winner and then the others who also ran — they 'ran too' but did not win. So an also-ran is a person who takes part in a contest but is not successful.