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Synonyms

jockey for position

Idioms  
  1. Maneuver or manipulate for one's own benefit, as in The singers are always jockeying for position on stage. This expression, dating from about 1900, originally meant maneuvering a race horse into a better position for winning. It was transferred to other kinds of manipulation in the mid-1900s.


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.

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As long as they kept it clean, they would be free to jockey for position and the team wouldn’t pick a favorite.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 7, 2025

The Clippers know the stakes are high in the competitive Western Conference, each game more important than the last as they jockey for position among six teams still unsure of their postseason place.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 12, 2025

Roughly 10 million people tuned in to the Katmai livestreams in 2022, including to watch the bears jockey for position at the best fishing spots.

From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2023

How they’ll rank is anybody’s guess, but as they jockey for position to be the first receiver chosen on April 27, the truth is teams will base their decisions on preference and need.

From Washington Times ● Mar. 7, 2023

Rowan knew that as much as she hated the idea of being a scythe, she would jockey for position over him because that’s how she was hardwired.

From "Scythe" by Neal Shusterman

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