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Glite Dictionary
🏇 A horse rider 🚚 A machine operator 🤼 To compete 🏇 To ride in races
to jockey

to jockey

12 6.8
To try to gain an advantage over others by clever moves
  • verb
  • /ˈdʒɑːki/
translation icon : maniobrar
  • The players are jockeying for position.
  • jockey for position
  • jockey for power

The Vikings seem to jockey between emphasizing raids on the Frankish Empire and on England.

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Examples

  • But the Democrats are jockeying for a position.

    King of Kings: Chasing Edward Jones (2024)

  • At the door, a pair of photographers and a newsreel cameraman are jockeying for position.

    Fiction book (2001)

  • At the start, they'll jockey to get behind each other till the gun goes off.

    Wind (1992)

  • We'll keep an eye on him while the rest of the track is jockeying for position.

    Speedway (1968)

  • Often the competition is close, with several vendors jockeying for the lead position.

    Academic text (1994)

  • Both teams jockeying for the 8th and final playoff spot in the East.

    Goon (2012)

  • Drivers jockeying for position as we head full-throttle down the main straight and into turn one.

    F1 (2025)

  • Rather, state and federal governing bodies jockeyed for a workable position between federal regulation and states' rights.

    Academic text (1995)

  • The two compete for America's affections, jockeying for the chance to become the United States' closest partner in the region.

    Academic text (1998)

  • The candidates jockeyed for the lead during the final debate.

Synonyms

to compete
vsto jockey
983 2.6

Try to win against others who want the same thing

emphasizes clever or strategic moves to gain advantage rather than simple winning
to jockey for position
vsto jockey
4 7.1

Try to move into a better place than others before an important decision or event

focuses on general strategic gain rather than only pre decision maneuvering

Antonyms

to cooperate
543 3.3

To work together with other people to reach the same goal

to yield
81 4.3

To stop resisting under pressure or force

Phrasal Verbs

to jockey for position
4 7.1

Try to move into a better place than others before an important decision or event

Compounds

disk jockey
  • US
16 3.5

A person who plays recorded popular music on the radio or at events

jockey club
2 6.0

A group that promotes and sets rules for horse racing

jockey shorts
  • US
1 4.1

Short, tight men's underwear that fit close to the body

swab jockey
  • Slang
1 9.9

A person who collects samples and does simple routine tasks in a lab

bench jockey
  • Informal
9.3

A person who supports and cheers for the team from the sideline

jockey cap
7.2

A tight cap with a small front brim worn by horse riders

talk jockey
  • Offensive
9.1

A person who speaks too much and stops other people from speaking

How Strategic

to scheme
14 6.5
to manipulate
382 6.1
to jockey
12 6.8
maneuver
  • US
108 6.3
to compete
983 2.6

Surface Forms

jockey infinitive
jockeyed past
jockeyed past participle
jockeying present participle
jockeys third person singular

Etymology

Jockey as a verb comes from race riders trying to move into the best place in a race, so it now means to compete or try to gain an advantage by clever moves. So when people 'jockey' for position, they are trying to get a better or winning place.