bandwagon

• bandwaggon

From band +‎ wagon.^[1]

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈbændˌwæɡ.ən/
• (General American, Canada) IPA^(key): /ˈbændˌwæɡ.ən/, [ˈbɛəndˌwæɡ.ən]

  • Audio (Milwaukee, Wisconsin); [ˈbɛəndˌwæɡ.ən]:

    (file)

• (General Australian) IPA^(key): /ˈbændˌwæɡ.ən/
• (New Zealand) IPA^(key): /ˈbɛndˌwɛɡ.ən/

bandwagon (plural bandwagons)

1. A large wagon used to carry a band of musicians in a parade. [from 1836]^[1]
3. (figuratively) A current movement that attracts wide support. [from 1880]^[1]
   • 2025 February 19, Christian Wolmar, “Reeves talks of 'growth' but pays lip service to the railway”, in RAIL, number 1029, page 35:

     Specifically, and unforgivably, she restarted the Heathrow Third Runway bandwagon, which had been stalled for more than a decade and even declared dead by most commentators.

bandwagon (third-person singular simple present bandwagons, present participle bandwagoning or bandwagonning, simple past and past participle bandwagoned or bandwagonned)

1. (figuratively) To join a bandwagon (a current movement that attracts wide support). [from 1915]^[1]

   Synonym: jump on the bandwagon

   • 1915 June 17, Rockville Tribune, “Roger Sullivan”, in The Indianapolis News, volume XLVI, number 166 (14,218 overall), Indianapolis, Ind., →OCLC, page 16, column 5:

     Again, only three years ago, he opposed every measure advocated by Woodrow Wilson—did all he could to prevent his nomination—and bandwagoned when the nomination could no longer be prevented.

   • 1937 April 25, “Old Ironpants [i.e., Charles Martin] and Walter [Marcus Pierce]”, in Alton F. Baker, editor, Eugene Register-Guard, volume 92, number 115, Eugene, Ore.: Alton F. Baker, →OCLC, page 6 (Editorial Page), column 1:

     “Weeping Walter” is a notorious example of the theory that “trimming” pays in politix. He has blown with every wind; he has bandwagoned with every passing movement from the Ku Klux Klan to the Townsend plan; […]

   • 1952 August 3, James Whiteshield, “The Middle Is Somewhat Independent”, in The Miami Herald, 42nd year, number 244, Miami, Fla., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 3-F, column 4:

     The sell-out bandwagonned and, as Sam [Rayburn] continued to stall, a positive vote against seating the Virginia delegation turned into a positive vote for seating them.

   • 2020 June 14, Alaa Elassar, quoting Jennifer Tucker, “A Kentucky tattoo shop is offering to cover up hate and gang symbols for free”, in CNN‎^[1], Atlanta, Ga.: Warner Bros. Discovery, archived from the original on 5 December 2022:

     Everyone in my school flew rebel flags and had rebel flag tattoos and I bandwagoned and got the tattoo.

• hype train