Did you mean also ran?
Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- n. A horse that does not win, place, or show in a race.
- n. A loser in a competition, as in an election: "had enough support to place him in the middle of the also-rans” ( George F. Will).
- n. One that has little talent or success: just an also-ran in the art world.
Wiktionary
- n. A person or animal who competed in a race but did not win.
- n. Figuratively, a loser; one soon to be forgotten.
WordNet 3.0
- n. a contestant who loses the contest
Examples
“Looking back, I predict he will be seen as the President that changed America from being a pioneer to being an also-ran.”
“At this point in the last cycle, candidates like Rudy Giuliani had raised $17 million, while even Democratic also-ran Bill Richardson brought in $7 million.”
“Both parties better start working together real soon or you are about to see what it's like to be reduced to an also-ran country as China passes us by in everything, from technology, to energy-efficiency, to healthcare.”
“Though it is VW's most popular model in the U.S., in Europe the Jetta has the stodgy image of an elderly person's car and is an also-ran to the better-selling Golf hatchback.”
The Wall Street Journal: Volkswagen Aims at Fast Lane in U.S.
“A decade ago, this team was an also-ran in Portuguese football, which has long been dominated by three teams—Porto, Benfica and Sporting are known as Os Tres Grandes Big three and have won all but two championships since 1934.”
“It was widely expected that Japan would end up an economic also-ran like that neighboring island chain, the Philippines.”
The Huffington Post: Ian Fletcher: Japan, the Forgotten Protectionist Threat
“A hit could reinvigorate RIM, but a flop could reinforce concerns that the company—late to recognize the importance of offering touch screens and deep pool of apps—is in danger of becoming an also-ran.”
“Libya has gone from the world's most exciting oil-exploration hot spot in 2005 to another geologically, politically and fiscally risky also-ran," says Charles Gurdon , a North Africa expert at Menas Associates, a consultancy.”
The Wall Street Journal: For West's Oil Firms, No Love Lost in Libya
“The company has gone from aerospace also-ran to ranking in the global industry's top two.”
“If it's a less-familiar brand, declining dynamism means it will be perceived as an also-ran on track to becoming a loser.”
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