Also-ran for Dummies

Also-ran is a term used to describe someone who participates in a competition, like a race or an election, but doesn't obtain a good result or doesn't achieve victory. It refers to the person or team that finishes last or is significantly surpassed by others. Basically, an "also-ran" is someone who doesn't come out on top or isn't considered a winner. You can think of it as being part of a race where everyone is cheering for the champion, and you are just there watching from the sidelines, not really having a chance to win.

Let's imagine you are in a sports day event, where different students are racing against each other. The "also-ran" is the person who reaches the finish line last or finishes with a much slower time compared to the other participants. They might put in a lot of effort and try their best, but unfortunately, they are simply not as skillful or fast as the winners. They may be disappointed because they didn't achieve the desired outcome, but it's important to remember that being an "also-ran" doesn't mean they are bad or lacking in any way. It just means that they didn't come first in that specific event.

Now, in a different context, the term "also-ran" can also be used to describe someone in an election who didn't win but participated as a candidate. In this case, it means that they were not elected to the desired position, and while they may have had supporters and campaigned, they were not successful in obtaining the majority vote. It's a way to acknowledge their effort, but also to highlight that they weren't able to secure the top spot or achieve their goal.

To sum it up, "also-ran" refers to someone who participates in a competition or election but doesn't win or achieve the desired outcome. It's like being part of the race but not crossing the finish line first. So, whether we are talking about a physical race or a contest for a position, the term "also-ran" basically means not being the winner and not achieving the victory, but it doesn't diminish the effort or value of the person.