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.

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Example Sentences

Any major regulation change inevitably increases both the gaps between teams, and the risk that one team will steal a march on the rest of the field, as happened in 2022 with Red Bull and 2014 with Mercedes.

From BBC

In an effort to steal a march on its more-advanced rivals, the company has seized on healthcare as a lane in which it believes it can deliver a better offering than any of the other major players and build the brand of its Copilot assistant.

From The Wall Street Journal

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

Steal a march on other players in this week’s Slate News Quiz.

From Slate

Selling the project - backed by a lot of money - helped steal a march on rivals, but there was also an element of gamble, too.

From BBC