a narrow advantage

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a narrow advantage" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a slight or minimal benefit that one party has over another in a competitive situation. Example: "The team managed to secure a narrow advantage in the final minutes of the game, allowing them to win by just one point."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Sport

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

34 human-written examples

In the first round, Dlamini-Zuma had a narrow advantage, beating Ping by 27 votes to 24.

The Guardian

Although Capital's share also fell on the second quarter, its figure of 5.6% gave it a narrow advantage.

The Guardian

This dispute will dominate the last week of the campaign, giving a narrow advantage to Mr Bush.

The Economist

The raft of state polls released on Wednesday suggested a narrow advantage for President Obama in most of the swing states.

The New York Times

I think we dealt with the occasion very well and it's nice to go into the second game with a narrow advantage," said Pearson.

Independent

Shaheen appeared on Wednesday to have finished with 51.6% of the vote, the same as her total in 2008 when she unseated the first-term Republican senator John Sununu, and a narrow advantage befitting a patient and risk-averse candidate.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

25 human-written examples

When it came to hard money, the regulated contributions from individuals and political action committees, Democrats held a narrower advantage.

The New York Times

Further excursions into the matted long grass off the 11th and 12th tees by Westwood put the onus on Kaymer to preserve their narrow advantage as a strange day came to its end.

The Guardian - Sport

The Guinness Premiership outfit then weathered a period of Bourgoin pressure in the final few minutes of the half to gain a narrow 6-3 atvanthee at the break.

The Guardian - Sport

Racing held a narrow 15-12 atvanthee at the interval and scored the first try of the afternoon when an Irish player dropped the ball and Bobo kicked on to score under the posts, Wisniewski adding a simple conversion.

BBC

Elsewhere yesterday's new Senate surveys confirm a close race in Nevada, a narrow Democratic advantage in Washington and a Republican lead in Missouri that may be closer than many assume.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing competitive situations, use "a narrow advantage" to convey that one side has a slight lead, but the outcome remains uncertain. It's particularly fitting when the lead could easily change.

Common error

Avoid using "a narrow advantage" when the difference is substantial or decisive. It's best suited for situations where the lead is slight and could easily be overturned.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a narrow advantage" functions as a noun phrase, where "narrow" modifies the noun "advantage". Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness. It is often used to describe a situation in which one party or entity has a slight lead over another.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Sport

20%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Science

3%

Encyclopedias

1%

Wiki

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a narrow advantage" is a grammatically sound and commonly used phrase that describes a slight lead in a competitive situation. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's correct and suitable for various contexts, particularly news, sports, and formal discussions. The phrase conveys a sense of precariousness, indicating that the lead is not substantial and could easily be lost. Consider using synonyms like "a slight edge" or "a marginal lead" for variety, but reserve "a narrow advantage" for situations where the small difference truly matters.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a slight edge

Replaces "narrow advantage" with more generic terms for a small benefit.

a marginal lead

Substitutes "narrow" with "marginal" and "advantage" with "lead", keeping a similar connotation of smallness.

a slim lead

Uses "slim" instead of "narrow", indicating a small or thin lead.

a small benefit

Replaces "advantage" with "benefit", offering a more neutral term.

a tight lead

Emphasizes the closeness or precariousness of the lead.

a close advantage

Highlights the proximity or nearness of the competition.

a wafer-thin lead

Emphasizes how incredibly small and fragile the lead is, using the analogy of a wafer.

a hair's breadth advantage

Emphasizes how incredibly small and fragile the advantage is, using the analogy of a hair's breadth.

a razor-thin margin

Emphasizes how incredibly small the margin is, using the analogy of a razor.

a nose ahead

Figuratively describes being slightly in the lead, as in a race.

FAQs

How to use "a narrow advantage" in a sentence?

Use "a narrow advantage" to describe a situation where one party has a slight lead over another, as in, "The candidate holds "a narrow advantage" in the polls".

What can I say instead of "a narrow advantage"?

You can use alternatives like "a slight edge", "a marginal lead", or "a slim lead" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "a narrow advantage" or "a slight advantage"?

Both "a narrow advantage" and "a slight advantage" are correct, but "a narrow advantage" implies a more precarious and potentially fleeting lead.

What's the difference between "a narrow advantage" and "a significant advantage"?

"A narrow advantage" indicates a small lead, while "a significant advantage" implies a much larger and more decisive lead.