second banana
noun
: a comedian who plays a supporting role to a top banana
broadly
: a person in a subservient position
Examples of second banana in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Towns might be better off as a second banana than a No. 1 option anyway.
—
Bryan Toporek, Forbes, 28 Sep. 2024
Riley emerges as an extremely realistic teenage character, one who probably deserves better than being the second banana to a bunch of muppety emotions.
—Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 14 June 2024
First introduced in the ’60s, the Teen Titans are a group of superpowered young ‘uns traditionally led by Batman’s second banana Robin, fighting alongside heroes like Cyborg, Raven, Starfire and Beast Boy.
—J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 15 Mar. 2024
Just as Lone Ranger needed Tonto, so many pop culture icons wouldn't have half their appeal without these top-notch second bananas — see why Chewbacca, Turtle, Willow, and more made the cut.
—Ew Staff Updated, EW.com, 6 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for second banana 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Bryan Toporek, Forbes, 28 Sep. 2024
Riley emerges as an extremely realistic teenage character, one who probably deserves better than being the second banana to a bunch of muppety emotions.
—Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 14 June 2024
First introduced in the ’60s, the Teen Titans are a group of superpowered young ‘uns traditionally led by Batman’s second banana Robin, fighting alongside heroes like Cyborg, Raven, Starfire and Beast Boy.
—J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 15 Mar. 2024
Just as Lone Ranger needed Tonto, so many pop culture icons wouldn't have half their appeal without these top-notch second bananas — see why Chewbacca, Turtle, Willow, and more made the cut.
—Ew Staff Updated, EW.com, 6 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for second banana
Articles Related to second banana
Dictionary Entries Near second banana
Cite this Entry
“Second banana.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/second%20banana. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share