steal a march on

Idioms  

1. Gain an advantage over unexpectedly or secretly, as in Macy's stole a march on their rival department store with their Thanksgiving Day parade. This metaphoric expression comes from medieval warfare, where a march was the distance an army could travel in a day. By quietly marching at night, a force could surprise and overtake the enemy at daybreak. Its figurative use dates from the second half of the 1700s.

---

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

steal a march on

Engineers in Russia are using Chinese components to mass-produce inexpensive arms and steal a march on its adversaries.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026

F1 is introducing new engine and chassis regulations in 2026 and Newey has become famous for his ability to spot the secrets of new rules and steal a march on his rivals as a result.

From BBC ● Apr. 30, 2024

With so much empty space concentrated in the center of Nottingham, he sees an unrivaled opportunity for the city to steal a march on rivals coping with the decline of central malls and main streets.

From New York Times ● May 18, 2021

Industry experts say the pandemic has focused bank executives’ minds when it comes to IT spend and more digitally savvy lenders will steal a march on competitors.

From Reuters ● Oct. 29, 2020

He thought that he would steal a march on his famous cousin.

From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---