Synonyms

catbird seat

American

noun

Informal.

an advantageous situation or condition.

His appointment as acting dean put him in the catbird seat.

catbird seat Idioms

A situation of advantage or superiority, as in His promotion put Charles in the catbird seat. This term is thought to allude to that noisy bird's habitual high perch. It was popularized in the 1940s by sportscaster Red Barber.

Etymology

Origin of catbird seat

An Americanism dating back to 1940–45

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

catbird seat

They are in the catbird seat to monetize AI.

From Barron's ● Jan. 9, 2026

Chevron’s catbird seat in the region is the culmination of Wirth’s yearslong effort to persuade Washington that his company is a stabilizing force that prevents China from controlling strategically important oil fields.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 20, 2025

These people and institutions are in the catbird seat of economic policy now.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 15, 2025

It sounds as if Musk is really in this catbird seat.

From Slate ● Aug. 1, 2025

“I do strongly believe Governor Abbott is in the catbird seat for re-election,” said Ray Sullivan, who was a senior adviser to Republican former Texas Governor Rick Perry.

From Reuters ● Oct. 13, 2021

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023