second-stringer
Bench-warming team member
A second-stringer is a substitute or backup player, not part of the starting lineup—from the idea of a "second string" of players on a team's roster.
The term extends beyond sports to anyone in a secondary or less prominent role: The project went to the second-stringers while the A-team handled the merger.
Seldom-used team member
- reserveSupply kept back
- role-playerOne assuming characters
- backupStored duplicate for recovery
- scrubClean by rubbing hard
JV · substitute · relief · pinch-hitter · walk-on · redshirt
What takes another's place
- fill-inTemporary substitute person
- stand-inTemporary human placeholder
- alternateOccur in succession
- backupStored duplicate for recovery
spare · relief · surrogate · temp · stopgap · pinch-hitter · locum · cover
benchwarmer
Seldom-used team member
- reserveSupply kept back
- role-playerOne assuming characters
- backupStored duplicate for recovery
scrub · JV · substitute · relief · pinch-hitter · walk-on · redshirt
replacement
What takes another's place
backup · spare · relief · surrogate · temp · stopgap · pinch-hitter · locum · cover · fallback
subordinate
One lower in rank
- underlingPerson of lower rank
- juniorLower in standing
- developmentalRelated to growth stages
prospect · rookie · novice · apprentice · trainee · neophyte · greenhorn · fledgling · protégé · mentee
second-stringerstar
Luminous astronomical object
starter · first-stringer · headliner · lead · top dog
second-stringerstarter
Initiator of action
first-stringer · star · star player · key player · franchise player
second, stringer, string, seconds, secondly, strings, stringing, stringed, stringy