catbird seat

American  

noun

Informal.

1. an advantageous situation or condition.

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

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catbird seat Idioms  

1. 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.

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Etymology

Origin of catbird seat

An Americanism dating back to 1940–45

Example Sentences

They are in the catbird seat to monetize AI.

From Barron's

They are in the catbird seat to monetize AI.

From Barron's

They are in the catbird seat to monetize AI.

From Barron's

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

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

From Los Angeles Times