Word
fringe player
Definition
compound. a person who is part of a group or team but does not play or participate very often.
compound. a member of a group, particularly a sports team or political party, who is not part of the core or starting lineup. It implies a marginal status where the individual is on the edge of the main activity.
Examples
“He is a fringe player who only gets to play in small games.”
“After the new signings arrived, the veteran striker found himself relegated to being a fringe player for the rest of the season.”
“The senator was once a fringe player in the party, but her recent grassroots success has moved her toward the center of national policy discussions.”
Examples
simple
“He is a fringe player who only gets to play in small games.”
contextual
“After the new signings arrived, the veteran striker found himself relegated to being a fringe player for the rest of the season.”
complex
“The senator was once a fringe player in the party, but her recent grassroots success has moved her toward the center of national policy discussions.”
Usage
commonly used in sports journalism and political commentary to describe someone with limited influence or playing time.
Teaching tip
anchor the meaning with the noun 'fringe' (the outer edge of cloth or hair) to help students visualize someone standing on the edge of a group rather than in the center.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/fringe-player