also-ran

/ˈɔːlsəʊ ræn/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈɔːlsəʊ ræn/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈȯl(t)-(ˌ)sō-ˌran ˈȯ-/ (ame, mw)

also-ran — noun

1. a person, organization, or product that enters a competitive situation but has v

1.名詞C1
釋義

a person, organization, or product that enters a competitive situation but has very little chance of succeeding and is not regarded as a serious challenger

例句

Despite running a strong local campaign, the candidate was an also-ran in the mayor's race.

pattern: be an also-ran [in competition]

The small bakery had few customers and stayed an also-ran among local dessert shops.

collocation: stayed an also-ran among [group]

同義詞
  • loser

    more direct and harsher; also-ran suggests the person was never a real threat, while loser simply states they lost

  • failure

    broader in meaning and not limited to competitive contexts; also-ran implies the context of a contest or race

  • non-starter

    focuses on someone who had no chance from the beginning, whereas also-ran suggests they did participate but made little impact

反義詞
  • winner

    direct opposite — the person who actually succeeds in the competition

  • front-runner

    the person expected to win, while an also-ran is expected to lose

文法句型

be an also-ran

dismiss someone/something as an also-ran

用法筆記

Frequently used with dismissive verbs such as dismiss, regard, or label. The term originated in horse racing and still carries a slightly informal, often critical tone — it implies the person or thing was never a genuine contender.

常見錯誤

❌He was an also-ran in the tournament, having won three matches.
✅He was an also-ran in the tournament, losing all his matches in the first round.
💡An also-ran is someone who does poorly or has no chance, not someone who wins some matches.