took a back seat
Let others lead
To take a back seat is to assume a less prominent or less active role, yielding control or attention to others.
The image is of sitting in the rear of a vehicle while someone else drives: After years of leading the company, she took a back seat and let her daughter run things.
Often implies stepping aside voluntarily rather than being displaced.
- step asideWithdraw from a position
- deferDelay or submit
- play second fiddleOccupy secondary rank
- subordinateOne lower in rank
- withdrawRemove or pull away
bow out · follower · second-in-command · humility · relinquish · yield · give way · let go · concede · patience · selflessness · retreat · recede · sidelines · supporting role · behind the scenes · abdicate · acceptance
took a back seattook charge
Began directing things
took the lead · took control · took the reins · stepped up · took command
took, takers, takeaway, back, backs, backed, backing, backer, backers