second fiddle
A sidekick or subordinate, or the role of such a person.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“I refuse to play second fiddle to anyone.”
“After years of playing second fiddle to her famous sister, she finally started her own band.”
“In the shadow of his charismatic older brother, he had spent his entire life playing second fiddle, quietly resentful yet outwardly loyal.”
- 01
fiddle while Rome burns
To busy yourself with trivia while a disaster you could be addressing unfolds.
- 02
hang up one's fiddle
Synonym of hang up one's boots.
- 03
have second thoughts
To change one's opinion, or be uneasy about a previous decision.
- 04
just a second
A short period of time, typically anywhere from a few seconds to several minutes or more.
- 05
play first fiddle
To play a leading role.
- 06
play second fiddle
To play a subsidiary or subordinate role to someone or something else.
- 07
play someone like a fiddle
To play (manipulate) (a person) skillfully.
- 08
second banana
A comedian who plays a secondary or supporting role, especially as straight man and traditionally in vaudeville or burlesque theatre.
Last updated August 10, 2026