How to Use second banana in a Sentence

second banana

noun
  • Some neurons fired when animals saw a second banana or second image of trees.
    — Adam Piore, Discover Magazine, 31 Aug. 2016
  • They sort of get relegated to second banana status, given the film’s point of view.
    — Jack Greiner, Cincinnati.com, 25 Jan. 2018
  • Lourd, an appealing comedian/second banana, gets to crack wise and drink gallons of booze, but not in that order.
    — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 20 Oct. 2022
  • But the future and present are colliding into a world in which fans get a sneak peek at what Porter can do as the second banana on a playoff team.
    — Tom Rende, Forbes, 1 June 2021
  • Russell Westbrook got traded to become his former sixth man’s second banana.
    — Rohan Nadkarni, SI.com, 14 Aug. 2019
  • He was also obsessed with playing second banana to The Times, as the movie indicates.
    — Sam Roberts, New York Times, 25 Dec. 2017
  • But Sanchez is one hell of a second banana, and a huge reason why the Yankees are on the verge of just their second playoff berth in five years.
    — SI.com, 11 Sep. 2017
  • Gerwig pointed out in the article that Ken’s second banana status is sort of like the Bible in reverse.
    — Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 24 May 2023
  • But the Joker has never been one to play second banana, and any mastermind who leaves him out of their grand plans usually ends up paying the price.
    — Christian Holub, EW.com, 12 July 2019
  • Caribbean beaches are justifiably world famous, but the region’s resort pools are no second banana.
    — Melanie Reffes, USA TODAY, 20 Feb. 2018
  • The endless spins of the wheel as the media play Veepstakes Roulette obscure certain lasting truths surrounding the search for a second banana.
    — Walter Shapiro, The New Republic, 27 Apr. 2020
  • Derrick Henry was an effective second banana, picking up 54 yards on 13 totes.
    — Michael Beller, SI.com, 25 Sep. 2017
  • Without their former second banana, the Cavs trail Indiana, 2-1.
    — Bill Livingston, cleveland.com, 21 Apr. 2018
  • The smart shopper will already note signs of staleness and mold in the old practice of a singer in stiff white tie and tails or gaudy gown, standing, arm propped on piano, of the second banana accompanist.
    — Classical Music Critic, Los Angeles Times, 19 Jan. 2026
  • If Kate felt like the second banana in her career previously, at least that was based on her official role as Hal’s second at their various postings.
    — Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2025
  • 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
  • Less than a month later, the second banana-scented balm arrived, with Glossier’s limited-edition banana pudding Blam Dotcom.
    — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 19 May 2026
  • Van Dam, a bumbling, subservient second banana who had occasional moments of pathos, was a reliable source of laughs on the show, which ran until 1997.
    — Daniel E. Slotnik, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2018
  • Brad Pitt, meanwhile, gives a pained but amusing performance as second banana Cliff Booth, Dalton’s former stuntman who now mostly just drives him around and cares for his house.
    — Travis M. Andrews, Washington Post, 30 July 2019
  • What audiences respond to in them is the interplay of Adam Sandler, as a grump with a chip on his shoulder but an even larger sense of loyalty, and Jennifer Aniston, as a sweetheart who is done being life’s second banana.
    — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 31 Mar. 2023
  • Caesar and Coca were soon joined on the show by the diminutive Howard Morris, whom Caesar could hoist from the ground and glare at face to face, and by Carl Reiner, tall like Caesar but as happy as Sid was miserable—the ideal second banana.
    — David Denby, New Yorker, 10 Nov. 2025

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'second banana.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Last Updated: