# also-ran

> English word · Noun

## Definitions
1. A person or animal who competed in a race, or other competition, but did not win.
2. A loser; a person or thing soon to be forgotten.

## Etymology
From the world of horse race betting, where lists of winners would be published with non-paying positions printed in a block under the heading “Also Ran”.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/also-ran