catbird seat

1 the more favorable condition or position in a competition <your fluency in French should put you in the catbird seat for getting the Paris posting> Synonyms better, bulge, advantage, drop, edge, high ground, inside track, jump, pull, stead, upper hand, vantage, whip handRelated Words allowance, head start, lead, leg up, margin, odds, start; ascendancy (also ascendency), command, dominance, mastery, predominance, superiority, supremacy, transcendence, transcendency; precedence, preference, prerogative, privilege, seniority; break, foothold, opportunity; benefit, blessing, boon, felicity, godsend, manna, windfallNear Antonyms detriment, stranglehold; disparity, imbalance, inequality, unevenness; disability, failing, impairment, shortcoming; bar, catch, check, clog, crimp, embarrassment, hindrance, hitch, hurdle, impediment, interference, let, manacle, obstacle, obstruction, rub, shackle, stop, trammel; lurch, setbackAntonyms disadvantage, drawback, handicap, liability, minus, penalty, strike

2 the center of public attention <in the wake of the natural disaster, this obscure bureaucrat was suddenly and unexpectedly thrust into the catbird seat> Synonyms center stage, limelight, spotlight, top billingRelated Words front burner; attention, heed, noticeNear Antonyms back burner