poor relation

plural poor relations

1. Something neglected or seen as inferior.

   In the State Department, Africa was the poor relation, handled as a subsidiary of the Middle East Bureau.

   2007, Larry Devlin, Chief of station, Congo: a memoir of 1960-67, page 33

   3 more examples

   Because of our homosexuality the Black community casts us as outsiders. We are the poor relations, the proverbial black sheep, without a history, a literature, a religion, or a community

   1986, Joseph Beam, “Introduction”, in In The Life, page 17

   Competition policy was the poor relation of industrial policy. By the 1990s the position was reversed. Industrial policy was passe, competition policy was central to the economic policy debate.

   1999, Stephen Wilks, Great Britain. Monopolies, Mergers Commission, In the public interest

   The Bakerloo Line, the poor relation of the London Underground, has become a huge talking point in terms of both its immediate and medium-term future.

   2024 April 3, Howard Johnston, “TfL is overflowing with ideas... but is short of the capital”, in RAIL, number 1006, page 31

   Synonyms: red-headed stepchild