ALL meanings of also-ran
al·so-ran
A a - countable noun also-ran If you describe someone as an also-ran, you mean that they have been or are likely to be unsuccessful in a contest. 3
- noun also-ran a contestant, horse, etc, failing to finish among the first three in a race 3
- noun also-ran an unsuccessful person; loser or nonentity 3
- noun also-ran a horse that fails to finish first, second, or third in a race 3
- noun also-ran any loser in any competition 3
- noun also-ran Sports. (in a race) a contestant who fails to win or to place among the first three finishers. an athlete or team whose performance in competition is rarely, if ever, a winning or near-winning one. 1
- noun also-ran Informal. a person who loses a contest, election, or other competition. 1
- noun also-ran Informal. a person who attains little or no success: For every great artist there are a thousand also-rans. 1
- noun also-ran competitor: does not win 1
- noun also-ran competitor: rarely wins 1
- noun also-ran sb: not successful 1
- noun also-ran A person or animal who competed in a race but did not win. 0
- noun also-ran Figuratively, a loser; one soon to be forgotten. 0