came from behind
Surged past leaders
Came from behind describes winning or succeeding after trailing—overcoming a deficit to prevail.
Most common in sports and competitions: The team came from behind to win in overtime.
The phrase can apply to any situation where someone recovers from a disadvantaged position: She came from behind in the polls to win the election.
- counterattackOffensive response to aggression
- underdogPresumed loser beforehand
- comebackRecovery after decline
- resilienceCapacity to recover quickly
- upsetDisturb, topple, or shock
snatch victory · buzzer-beater · final stretch · closing the gap · flanking · plot twist · turnaround · second chance · perseverance · never say die · Hail Mary · redemption · overtaking · photo finish · rally · fourth quarter · last minute · dramatic climax
- finish line expressionsphoto finish, down to the wire, home stretch, final stretch, final lap