take a back seat

To take a less important or visible position

After Howard's accident, work took a back seat to spending time with his family.

News & Articles

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• The best- and worst-paying jobs
  You'd think that chief executive officers would have the highest-paying jobs given the buzz their annual compensation packages attract each year, but when it comes to average annual pay, CEOs take a back seat to anesthesiologists.
  June 15, 2013 - Hartford Courant