coattailing
Riding another's momentum
Coattailing is riding someone else's success or momentum.
The image is of grabbing onto another's coattails to be pulled along.
In politics, a lesser-known candidate coattails on a popular one's appeal: She won by coattailing on the governor's landslide.
In investing, coattailing means copying the trades of successful investors rather than doing independent analysis.
Controlling while mounted
- piggybackingRiding on another's back
- bandwagoningAdopting popular positions opportunistically
- freeloadingExploiting others' generosity
- latchingSecuring with a catch
hitching · leveraging · exploiting · capitalizing · mooching · sponging · cashing in · free-riding
Copying another's behavior
- copyingReproducing something exactly
- followingComing after another
- emulatingCopying to equal
- apingImitating closely
parroting · echoing · mirroring · replicating · cloning · knockoff · me-too · derivative
State of needing support
- attachmentConnection or fondness
- subordinationLower position in hierarchy
- hanger-onOpportunistic social dependent
- parasitismOne benefits, one suffers
leeching · sycophancy · entourage · satellite · henchman · minion · yes-man · toady
Product of mass, velocity
- associationGroup with shared aim
- baskingWarming oneself pleasantly
- attributionAssigning origin or cause
- name-droppingCiting connections for status
networking · connection · affiliation · patronage · sponsorship · mentorship · boost · lift
Formal expression of support
- ticketEntry permit slip
- running mateVice presidential nominee
- down-ballotLower-office electoral contests
- slateFissile metamorphic rock
party · campaign · incumbent · frontrunner · election · primary · caucus · voting
riding
Controlling while mounted
- piggybackingRiding on another's back
- bandwagoningAdopting popular positions opportunistically
- freeloadingExploiting others' generosity
latching · hitching · leveraging · exploiting · capitalizing · mooching · sponging · cashing in · free-riding · coasting
mimicking
Copying another's behavior
aping · parroting · echoing · mirroring · replicating · cloning · knockoff · me-too · derivative · copycat
reliance
State of needing support
- attachmentConnection or fondness
- subordinationLower position in hierarchy
- hanger-onOpportunistic social dependent
parasitism · leeching · sycophancy · entourage · satellite · henchman · minion · yes-man · toady · lackey
momentum
Product of mass, velocity
- associationGroup with shared aim
- baskingWarming oneself pleasantly
- attributionAssigning origin or cause
name-dropping · networking · connection · affiliation · patronage · sponsorship · mentorship · boost · lift · halo effect
endorsement
Formal expression of support
- ticketEntry permit slip
- running mateVice presidential nominee
- down-ballotLower-office electoral contests
slate · party · campaign · incumbent · frontrunner · election · primary · caucus · voting · ballot
coattailingself-made success
Achievement without external help
self-reliance · grinding · hustling · meritocracy · standing on your own two feet
coattailingtrailblazing
Being the first through
pioneering · paving the way · spearheading · blazing a trail · pathfinding
coattailingself-sufficiency
Independence from outside aid
standing on your own two feet · independence · autonomy · going it alone · standing alone
coattail, coattails, coat, coats, coated, coating, coatings, uncoated, overcoat