also-ran

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The company was once an also-ran in the AI race, chasing what appeared to be a near-insurmountable OpenAI lead after the company released ChatGPT in late 2022 and began accumulating hundreds of millions of users.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 28, 2026

Seeded as an also-ran at No. 23, she upset Coco Gauff and Karolina Muchova before falling in a tight three-set match to Amanda Anisimova.

From Los Angeles Times • May 28, 2026

Even classical music listeners have their version in what may be the most legendary rivalry of all — the one that also-ran Italian composer Antonio Salieri supposedly nursed with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

From Salon • May 16, 2026

It became an also-ran and there it remains until now.

From BBC • Jan. 31, 2026

Maybe a part of me loves her because she’s the eternal also-ran, a lot like me.

From "I Am the Messenger" by Markus Zusak