on the coattails

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Definitions from WordNet

Adverbial on the coattails has 1 sense

on the coattails, one one's coattails - immediately following or undeservedly benefiting from; "the CEO resigned on the coattails of the scandal"; "he was elected on his predecessor's coattails"

Definitions from the Web

Term: On the Coattails

Description:

On the coattails is an idiom that refers to benefiting from the success, popularity, or achievements of someone else. It implies riding on the success of another person or entity to achieve personal gain without personal effort.

Possible Parts of Speech:

Noun phrase
Prepositional phrase
Idiom

Senses:

The literal meaning refers to riding on someone else's coattails, holding onto the back of their coat while walking.
The figurative meaning signifies gaining advantages or benefits by association.

Usages:

She was always on the coattails of her famous friend, leveraging their connections to further her career.
He managed to win the election on the coattails of the popular party leader who campaigned for him.
The small business flourished on the coattails of a larger company by securing contracts as a subcontractor.

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Idioms and Phrases

on the average on the basis on the blink on the block on the books on the bottom on the brink of on the button on the coattails on the contrarory on the contrary on the dot on the double on the expence of on the face of it on the far side on the far side of

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