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Glite Dictionary
to take the backseat

to take the backseat

1 4.6
To let others lead and be less involved in a situation
  • phrasal verb
  • Informal
translation icon : tomar un papel secundario
  • Throughout this campaign, students have taken the backseat to other major issues.

Examples

  • During the project, Sarah decided to take the backseat and let her teammates lead.

  • In group discussions, he often takes the backseat to allow others to express their ideas.

  • She chose to take the backseat in the meeting so that her colleagues could present their plans.

Synonyms

to step aside
vsto take the backseat
129 3.4

Move out of the way or leave a job so someone else can take it

assumes a lower, continuing role instead of fully leaving responsibilities
to sit back
vsto take the backseat
  • Informal
103 3.5

To do nothing when you should help

chooses a less important ongoing role while still taking part in tasks

Antonyms

to dominate
275 3.7

To have strong control over people or things

to take the lead
79 3.2

To start guiding a group or activity and make the main decisions

How Important

to take the backseat
  • Informal
1 4.6

Surface Forms

take the backseat infinitive
took the backseat past
taken the backseat past participle
taking the backseat present participle
takes the backseat third person singular

Morphology

take + the + backseat

The meaning is a metaphorical extension of the literal words: 'take' (assume) + 'backseat' (the seat at the rear, implying less prominence). While the composed sense is fairly predictable for learners who understand the spatial/social metaphor of a 'back seat', it still relies on that figurative mapping and collocational usage, so it is not fully transparent without some exposure.

Etymology

The phrase take the backseat comes from the simple image of someone literally taking the back seat of a car, sitting behind the driver and out of the action. That's why it means 'to take a less important role'.