the second mouse gets the cheese
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
Others reap the advantages after a first mover absorbs the loss of a first-mover disadvantage.
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
A product recall later sent his Livonia, Mich., company into bankruptcy. Its remains were sold to a Fargo businessman who moved the business there and later sold it to DaimlerChrysler, just as California's first electric car mandates were looming. "We were the story of how the second mouse gets the
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “the second mouse gets the cheese” mean?
Others reap the advantages after a first mover absorbs the loss of a first-mover disadvantage.
Is “the second mouse gets the cheese” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.