coattailed
Wearing formal jacket
Coattailed describes someone who has ridden on another's success or reputation rather than earning their position independently.
The image is of clinging to someone's coattails—the long back panels of a formal coat—as they advance: a coattailed appointment to the board, He coattailed his way into the industry on his father's connections.
Riding on another's back
- free-ridingBenefiting without contributing fairly
- bandwagonSurging popular cause
- ridingControlling while mounted
- draftingCreating technical blueprints
slipstreaming · hitchhiking · tagalong · leeching · coattailing · exploitation · advantage · windfall
State of needing support
- supportTo uphold or sustain
- patronageSupporter's financial backing
- backingAid or sponsorship
- sponsorshipFunded endorsement arrangement
benefactor · assistance · lifeline · crutch · prop · anchor · underpinning · association
Shared business arrangement
- allianceFormal union of parties
- brandingCreating distinctive identity
- licensingGranting official permission
- franchiseLicensed business operation
endorsement · sponsorship · affiliation · leverage · merger · acquisition · subsidiary · collaboration
Formal expression of support
- campaignOrganized effort toward goal
- candidatePerson seeking selection
- electionOrganized public voting
- incumbentCurrent position holder
ticket · partisanship · caucus · nomination · platform · constituency · grassroots · incumbency
piggybacking
Riding on another's back
- free-ridingBenefiting without contributing fairly
- bandwagonSurging popular cause
- ridingControlling while mounted
drafting · slipstreaming · hitchhiking · tagalong · leeching · coattailing · exploitation · advantage · windfall · unearned
reliance
State of needing support
sponsorship · benefactor · assistance · lifeline · crutch · prop · anchor · underpinning · association · connection
partnership
Shared business arrangement
- allianceFormal union of parties
- brandingCreating distinctive identity
- licensingGranting official permission
franchise · endorsement · sponsorship · affiliation · leverage · merger · acquisition · subsidiary · collaboration · networking
endorsement
Formal expression of support
- campaignOrganized effort toward goal
- candidatePerson seeking selection
- electionOrganized public voting
incumbent · ticket · partisanship · caucus · nomination · platform · constituency · grassroots · incumbency · midterm
- rode the coattailsGained from another's efforts
- ride the coattailsProfit from another's achievement
- riding the coattailsGaining from another's success
- coattail effectSuccess through powerful association
- ridden the coattailsSucceeded via association