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
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Noun
Implement Feedback Loops Early User feedback is the primary advantage of launching an MVP, so creating a feedback loop from the beginning is crucial. Abdo Riani, Forbes, 27 Oct. 2024 That’s one area where Valve has an advantage with the Steam Deck. Eric Ravenscraft, WIRED, 27 Oct. 2024
Verb
Otherwise, the journey is the perfect opportunity to advantage of the time. Rachel Chang, Travel + Leisure, 5 Oct. 2024 TickPick is focused on keeping the consumer advantaged over its competition. Eric Fuller, Forbes, 4 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for advantage 

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 5 Nov. 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

More from Merriam-Webster on advantage

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