competitive-advantage
/kəmˈpɛt.ɪ.tɪv ədˈvɑːn.tɪdʒ/ IELTSAcademic
noun
a feature, skill, price, or resource that helps a person, company, or product do better than others in a market or competition. It gives them a stronger position.
- Good service can be a competitive advantage.
- Their low prices are a real competitive advantage.
- Technology is a competitive advantage in this industry.
Adinary Nuance
A competitive advantage is not just any advantage. It means an edge that helps you win against rivals or do better than similar options. It is stronger than general words like advantage or benefit, because it always involves competition. In business writing, it often refers to something lasting, like brand trust, lower costs, or special skills.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- lợi thế cạnh tranh
- Spanish
- ventaja competitiva
- Chinese
- 竞争优势
- Japanese
- 競争優位
- Korean
- 경쟁 우위
Etymology
This phrase combines competitive and advantage. It became common in business English in the late 20th century, especially in management and marketing.
Common phrases
gain a competitive advantagehave a competitive advantagesustainable competitive advantagecompetitive advantage in the market
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is competitive advantage formal or informal?
- It is mainly used in business, academic, and professional writing.
- What is the difference between advantage and competitive advantage?
- An advantage is any helpful point. A competitive advantage helps you do better than rivals.
- Can I use competitive advantage in IELTS writing?
- Yes. It fits Task 2 essays and business-related topics well.
- How do I use competitive advantage in a sentence?
- Use it before or after a noun, like 'a competitive advantage' or 'has a competitive advantage'.