rode the coattails
Exploited another's achievements
To ride the coattails of someone is to benefit from their success or influence without contributing much yourself.
The image is of clinging to someone's coat as they advance.
He rode the coattails of his famous father into politics.
The past tense rode the coattails describes having already exploited another's achievements: She rode the coattails of the team's star player to a championship ring.
- piggybackingRiding on another's back
- free rideBenefit without cost
- freeloadingExploiting others' generosity
- tag alongAccompany without leading
- opportunismExploiting circumstances for gain
reliance · capitalizing · alliances · networking · hitchhiking · favoritism · meal ticket · patronage · nepotism · partnerships · hanger-on · glory hound · shortcutting · leveraging · rising tide · parasitism · shadowing · bandwagoning
rode the coattailsself-made
Successful through own efforts
pulled oneself up by one's bootstraps · bootstrapped · earned one's stripes · self-starter · paid one's dues
rode the coattailspaved the way
Made future progress possible
mentored · sponsored · championed · boosted
rode, riders, coattail, coattails, coat, coats, coated, coating, coatings