1
as in advantage
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 & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in center stage
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 & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of catbird seat
The upstart state assemblymember is at the forefront of a coalition of progressives seeking to block former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo from taking the proverbial catbird seat in Gracie Mansion.
—
James Powel, USA Today, 24 June 2025
Mom, who’d just flown from Washington state to the Big Apple, fist-pumped her way to a catbird seat on Cloud 9.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 3 Apr. 2025
With memory giants like Samsung and SK Hynix cranking up production to keep pace with Nvidia’s Blackwell ramp, Lam is sitting in the catbird seat.
—John Buckingham, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025
The catbird seats were occupied instead by the titans of attention.
—Ezra Klein, The Mercury News, 31 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for catbird seat
James Powel, USA Today, 24 June 2025
Mom, who’d just flown from Washington state to the Big Apple, fist-pumped her way to a catbird seat on Cloud 9.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 3 Apr. 2025
With memory giants like Samsung and SK Hynix cranking up production to keep pace with Nvidia’s Blackwell ramp, Lam is sitting in the catbird seat.
—John Buckingham, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025
The catbird seats were occupied instead by the titans of attention.
—Ezra Klein, The Mercury News, 31 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for catbird seat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for catbird seat
Noun
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After killing a penalty early in the middle frame, Minnesota pulled even with another man-advantage goal when Joel Eriksson Ek snapped in the rebound of a Kaprizov shot.—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
25 Jan. 2026
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Perry dribbled into a 15-footer in the short corner to help UCLA build a double-digit advantage at halftime.—
Aaron Heisen,
Daily News,
25 Jan. 2026
Noun
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With $5 trillion in assets and growing, the hedge fund industry is once again center stage.—
Carrie McCabe,
Forbes.com,
21 Jan. 2026
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But firms are center stage, and often large, innovative firms.—
Chris Bradley,
Fortune,
21 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Having explored the Mariana Trench, the summit of Everest, and the edge of space, Victor Vescovo knows what awe feels like in its most dramatic forms.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
29 Jan. 2026
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In short, the frontlines of the Russia-Ukraine war are a weird laboratory for modern warfare, which, against all odds, has given Ukraine a considerable tactical edge over its much larger adversary.—
Victor Tangermann,
Futurism,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Washington — Federal Reserve officials convene this week at a pivotal moment in the US central bank’s 112-year history, with a series of historic events putting a spotlight on their ability to set interest rates without political interference.—
Bryan Mena,
CNN Money,
28 Jan. 2026
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The brunch also shone a spotlight on the fellows of the ReFrame Rise program, a fellowship co-founded by WIF and Sundance Institute that supports 10 mid-career directors and cinematographers, all of whom were present at the event.—
Dominique Fluker,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
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There are a limited number of sites these facilities can go, giving local governments an upper hand in negotiations.—
Rachyl Jones,
semafor.com,
7 Jan. 2026
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Brouk & Co Pearl Travel Jewelry Case Anything from Oprah’s Favorites list already has an upper hand in White Elephant, and this travel jewelry case proves why.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
20 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Buffalo takes over top billing in the AFC Over in the AFC, the Buffalo Bills (+550) and the New England Patriots (+600) both surpassed the Denver Broncos (+750) after the wild-card round.—
Scott Phillips,
New York Times,
13 Jan. 2026
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But the Outback gets top billing for its outdoorsy appeal and versatility.—
James Raia,
Mercury News,
11 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Brian King Joseph may be entering the legal limelight with his lawsuit against Will Smith, but the musician is no stranger to showbiz.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
2 Jan. 2026
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Automotive companies like Ford and GM usually get the most limelight, but there were many others, like Singer, a company that normally makes sewing machines, that started making firearm components.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
28 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Ebrahimi’s death has also renewed attention on the case of another Iranian boxer, Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani, who is on death row.—
Emma Bussey,
FOXNews.com,
27 Jan. 2026
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The incident heightened national attention on aviation safety in 2025, with many people questioning whether flying was safe.—
Alexandra Skores,
CNN Money,
27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Catbird seat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/catbird%20seat. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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