back-seat driver

noun

An occupant of a large vehicle, such as a firetruck, who helps steer the vehicle from far in the back.

Similar
nagavator
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Meanings

nounback-seat driver (plural back-seat drivers)

plural back-seat drivers · alternative backseat driver

  1. datedAn occupant of a large vehicle, such as a firetruck, who helps steer the vehicle from far in the back.

    When New York pitcher Vernon Gomez retires as a smokeballer he wants to become a smoke eater. Here he gets a tryout as a back-seat driver on a hook and ladder truck at St. Petersburg[…]

    1914, Daily Kennebec Journal, Augusta, Maine, USA
  2. A person sitting (typically) in the back seat of a car issuing (unsolicited and usually unwanted) instructions to the driver.

    Synonyms: nagavator

  3. figurativelyAn opinionated person who offers (unsolicited and often unwanted) advice on the best way to handle a situation.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA person sitting (typically) in the back seat of a car issuing (unsolicited and usually unwanted) instructions to the driver.

Similar
nagavator
Also see
nagavator

Translations

Finnish takapenkkikuljettaja, takapenkkikuski
  • takapenkkikuljettajaadvising passenger
  • takapenkkikuskiadvising passenger
French mouche du coche
  • mouche du cocheadvising passenger
Hungarian fogadatlan prókátor
  • fogadatlan prókátorunwanted advocate
Icelandic aftursætisbílstjóri
  • aftursætisbílstjóriadvising passenger
Norwegian Bokmål back-seat driver, baksetesjåfør
  • back-seat driverunwanted advocate
  • baksetesjåførunwanted advocate
Polish pasażer dający niepożądane rady, niepożądany doradca
  • pasażer dający niepożądane radyadvising passenger
  • niepożądany doradcaunwanted advocate
Portuguese treinador de bancada
  • treinador de bancadaunwanted advocate
Russian поме́ха спра́ва f /lit:hindrance from the right/
  • поме́ха спра́ва f /lit:hindrance from the right/ (poméxa správa)advising passenger
Swedish baksätesförare, baksätesförare
  • baksätesförareadvising passenger
  • baksätesförareunwanted advocate
Cite this entry
APA

back-seat driver. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/back-seat%20driver

MLA

“back-seat driver.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/back-seat%20driver. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “back-seat driver,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/back-seat%20driver.

Source: back-seat driver on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.