What Does “Jockey for sth” Mean?
“Jockey for sth” means to compete or maneuver cleverly to gain an advantage or a desired position.
Introduction
The phrase “Jockey for sth” is often used when people or groups try to gain control or win something by careful or strategic actions. The “sth” stands for “something,” which can be anything like a job, position, or opportunity. Understanding the jockey for sth meaning helps learners see how this phrase describes competition that is not always direct but involves skillful moves. Whether in business, politics, or everyday life, people jockey for advantages to improve their situation. This phrase is useful for talking about subtle or smart competition.
Quick Info Box
- Phrasal verb: jockey for something
- Type: transitive
- Level: B2
- Short meaning: to compete or maneuver to gain an advantage
Structure (Grammar Rules)
“Jockey for sth” is a transitive phrasal verb and is inseparable. This means you cannot separate “jockey” and “for” with an object in between.
Correct pattern: Subject + jockey for + something
Example: They jockeyed for control of the company.
How to Use “Jockey for sth”?
Use “jockey for sth” when describing a situation where people or groups are competing carefully or strategically for something valuable. It often implies indirect competition rather than open conflict. You can use it in formal and informal contexts to explain how people maneuver for power, positions, or advantages.
Examples
In many workplaces, employees jockey for promotions by showing their skills and taking on extra tasks.
- Several candidates are jockeying for the manager position.
- Politicians jockeyed for influence before the election.
- The teams jockeyed for the best position on the leaderboard.
- Investors jockey for shares in the promising startup.
These examples show how “jockey for sth” is used to describe strategic competition.
Common Mistakes
People sometimes separate the phrasal verb incorrectly or use it in the wrong context.
- Incorrect: They jockey the job for.
- Correct: They jockey for the job.
- Incorrect: She jockeyed the position carefully.
- Correct: She jockeyed for the position carefully.
Remember, “jockey for” must stay together, and the object must follow after “for.”
Differences / Synonyms
“Jockey for sth” is similar to “compete for” or “vie for,” but it often suggests more subtle or strategic moves rather than direct competition.
- Compete for: general competition, direct or indirect.
- Vie for: formal, strong competition.
- Jockey for: strategic or skillful maneuvering to gain advantage.
Use “jockey for” when you want to emphasize clever or tactical competition.
Common Collocations
People often jockey for positions, power, control, influence, or attention.
- Jockey for position: trying to get a better rank or status.
- Jockey for power: competing to gain control or authority.
- Jockey for control: maneuvering to take charge of something.
- Jockey for influence: working to increase one’s impact or authority.
- Jockey for attention: competing to be noticed or recognized.
Real-life Dialogue
Here is a short conversation using “jockey for sth”:
Anna: Have you noticed how the team members are jockeying for the lead role?
Ben: Yes, everyone wants to impress the boss before the project starts.
Anna: It’s smart to jockey for that position early on.
Practice
Fill in the blanks with the correct form of “jockey for”:
- The politicians __________ power before the election.
- She is __________ attention from the teacher.
- The companies are __________ control of the market.
Answers: jockeyed for, jockeying for, jockeying for
FAQs
- What does “jockey for sth” mean? It means to compete or maneuver cleverly to gain an advantage.
- Is “jockey for” separable? No, it is inseparable; the object must come after “for.”
- Can I use “jockey for” in formal writing? Yes, especially when describing strategic competition.
- What are common things people jockey for? Positions, power, control, and attention.
- What is a synonym for “jockey for”? “Vie for” or “compete for,” but “jockey for” implies more strategy.
