edging ahead

USAGE SUMMARY

"edging ahead" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It can be used to describe something that is slowly making progress (or gaining an advantage) over another thing. For example: "Despite the competition, our sales team is edging ahead and is now the market leader."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Sport

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

Liverpool just edging ahead here, early on.

The Guardian - Sport

Next year the liberals have a chance of edging ahead.

The Economist

Now some polls show Sanders edging ahead — further evidence that the momentum is on his side.

The New Yorker

At one point last week, Wu's internal polling showed him edging ahead.

The New Yorker

The latest poll, by New England College, shows Brown edging ahead by a point.

The New Yorker

Despite trailing by 22-18, the Jaspers inched back before edging ahead, 26-25.

The New York Times - Sports

One local poll this week showed Mr. Obama slightly edging ahead of Mrs. Clinton.

The New York Times

And those who believe Britain would be better off out are edging ahead.

The Guardian

And right here, right now, The Hurt Locker appears to be edging ahead.

The Guardian - Film

ABC ranked second over all, edging ahead of NBC with its live "Sunday Night Football" broadcast.

The New York Times

Early in January, Sanders appeared to be gaining ground on Clinton, and some polls showed him edging ahead.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "edging ahead" to describe situations where progress or advantage is gained slowly and subtly, often in competitive scenarios like sports, politics, or business. It suggests a close contest where a small lead is established.

Common error

Avoid using "edging ahead" when the lead is substantial or the progress is rapid. This phrase is best reserved for describing marginal gains in closely contested situations.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "edging ahead" is that of a phrasal verb, often used as part of a verb phrase to describe incremental progress or a slight advantage being gained. Ludwig AI confirms its common usage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Sport

20%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

2%

Science

2%

Wiki

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "edging ahead" is a frequently used phrasal verb that describes making slow but steady progress or gaining a slight lead, particularly in competitive situations. Ludwig AI confirms this assessment. The phrase is grammatically correct and most commonly found in news and sports contexts, with a neutral to slightly formal register. When using "edging ahead", it's important to ensure that the context aligns with the idea of marginal gains rather than substantial leads. Alternatives like ""gaining ground"" or "inching forward" can be used for subtle variations in meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

gaining ground

Implies a more general sense of progress, not necessarily taking the lead.

inching forward

Focuses on the slow and gradual nature of the progress.

making headway

Highlights overcoming obstacles to make progress.

gaining a slight advantage

More explicitly states the gaining of an advantage, removing the subtlety of "edging".

pulling slightly ahead

Emphasizes the act of pulling or moving, indicating a bit more effort.

creeping forward

Suggests a stealthy or subtle form of progress.

progressing marginally

More formal and technical, emphasizing the small degree of progress.

narrowly surpassing

Focuses on exceeding a certain limit in small margin.

getting a nose in front

Idiomatic and informal, suggesting a slight lead, especially in a race.

moving incrementally forward

Highlights a step-by-step, very small amount of progress.

FAQs

How to use "edging ahead" in a sentence?

Use "edging ahead" to describe a situation where someone or something is making slight progress or gaining a small advantage over another. For instance, "In the polls, candidate A is "gaining ground" on candidate B, but is only slowly "edging ahead".

What can I say instead of "edging ahead"?

You can use alternatives such as ""gaining ground"", "inching forward", or "making headway" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Which is correct, "edging ahead" or "edging forward"?

Both phrases are grammatically correct, but they have slightly different meanings. "Edging ahead" implies gaining a lead or advantage over someone or something, while "edging forward" simply means moving slowly in a forward direction. In contexts where competition is implied, edging ahead is more appropriate.

What's the difference between "edging ahead" and "forging ahead"?

"Edging ahead" suggests a slow, subtle process of gaining a lead, while "forging ahead" implies a more forceful and determined movement forward, often in the face of obstacles. "Forging ahead" suggests more momentum and effort.