advantage

1 of 2

noun

ad·​van·​tage əd-ˈvan-tij How to pronounce advantage (audio)
1
: superiority of position or condition
Higher ground gave the enemy the advantage.
2
: a factor or circumstance of benefit to its possessor
lacked the advantages of an education
3
a
: benefit, gain
especially : benefit resulting from some course of action
a mistake which turned out to our advantage
see also take advantage of
b
obsolete : interest sense 3a
4
: the first point won in tennis after deuce

advantage

2 of 2

verb

advantaged; advantaging

transitive verb

: to give an advantage to : benefit
Government does not know how to strengthen all families, and no public policy avoids advantaging some families while implicitly asking others to wait in the queue.Martin Neil Baily
Phrases
to advantage
: so as to produce a favorable impression or effect
wishing to be seen to advantage

Examples of advantage in a Sentence

Noun Higher ground gave the enemy the advantage. He has an unfair advantage over us because of his wealth. His plan has the advantage of being less expensive than other options. He lacked the advantages of an advanced education. Speed is an advantage in most sports. The company's only advantage over the competition is its location. Applicants for this job will find that previous experience is an advantage. Being able to set your own schedule is one of the advantages of owning a business. Among the advantages of a small college is its campus life. There isn't any advantage in leaving early. Verb there's no question that that bicycle racer was significantly advantaged by a great set of genes
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
There was a time for hierarchical, command-and-control organizations–the 19th century, to be exact, when many workers were illiterate, information traveled at a snail’s pace, and strict adherence to rules offered the competitive advantage of reliability. Bill Anderson, Fortune, 21 Mar. 2024 De Meo pointed out that a C-segment car in China had a cost advantage of between €6,000 and €7,000 (between $6,500 and $7,600) compared with a European equivalent. Byryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 21 Mar. 2024 There will be advantages like that with AI; on the opposite end, there will be people who lose jobs because of it. Jason Parham, WIRED, 20 Mar. 2024 Gerrymandering occurs when electoral district boundaries are drawn to give one party a clear advantage over another. Sudiksha Kochi, USA TODAY, 20 Mar. 2024 After Nelson responded with her own lay-in, Gallegos made a pair of 3-point shots within 56 seconds to give the Cougars a 35-29 advantage with 4:01 before halftime. Joseph D’hippolito, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Mar. 2024 In the bottom third, Winchell shifted the momentum with a two-run homer to right field that brought home Warner and gave Granada a 2-1 advantage. Nathan Canilao, The Mercury News, 16 Mar. 2024 Despite Russia’s own enormous casualties, the invaders still far outnumber Ukraine’s defenders, an advantage that is helping Moscow advance on the battlefield. Serhiy Morgunov, Washington Post, 16 Mar. 2024 Key advantages of lawn removal include: a. Water conservation: Lawns typically require significant amounts of water to maintain their lush appearance, especially in regions with hot and dry climates. Kobi Bardugo, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Mar. 2024
Verb
One of Strome’s goals came on the power play in the Ducks’ sixth multi-goal effort with the man advantage this season. Andrew Knoll, Orange County Register, 12 Feb. 2024 Extremist demagogues take advantage of stagnant economic systems–systems that advantage the rich while enabling them to escape their civic duty–by channeling general frustration into popular support. Chuck Collins, Fortune, 17 Jan. 2024 If governance is to be judged by the opportunities offered to the least advantaged then this is an indictment on the management of the English game. Zak Garner-Purkis, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2024 If the Niners’ secondary — which should have a numbers advantage all game — hawks his throws, which have impressive power and accuracy given his poor throwing base, but can often sail, that’s a problem for the Packers. Dieter Kurtenbach, The Mercury News, 19 Jan. 2024 The deal uptick reflects expectations, particularly in North America, that while oil and gas will continue to play a significant role in the energy mix for some time, cost and capital pressures will advantage bigger operators. Andrea Guerzoni, Fortune, 15 Feb. 2024 That one-two shuffle — wherein the motion picture industry gets rocked by a shock to the system, followed by an adaptation that not only meets the challenge but turns it to advantage — set a pattern for Hollywood’s crisis management forever after. Thomas Doherty, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Dec. 2023 The administration is forgoing a chance to lower tariffs and strengthen labor and environmental standards on imports, thereby directly advantaging China: in 2021, China applied for admission to the TPP in the United States’ place. Kori Schake, Foreign Affairs, 4 Dec. 2023 That may seem odd, but what is often left unsaid in discussions of Wisconsin maps is that the islands are not random parcels created by mapmakers to advantage Republicans at the behest of a Republican legislature. Megan O’Matz, ProPublica, 17 Nov. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'advantage.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

alteration (with initial a- taken as assimilated form of Latin ad- ad-) of Middle English avauntage, borrowed from Anglo-French avantage, from avant "before" (going back to Latin abante) + -age -age — more at advance entry 1

Verb

alteration (after advantage entry 1) of Middle English avauntagen, borrowed from Anglo-French avauntager, verbal derivative of avauntage, avantage advantage entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Verb

1549, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of advantage was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near advantage

Cite this Entry

“Advantage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/advantage. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

advantage

noun
ad·​van·​tage
əd-ˈvant-ij
1
: the fact of being in a better position or condition
gain the advantage
2
3
: something that helps the one it belongs to
speed is an advantage in sports

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