pole position

American

noun

a position on the inside of the track in any race.
(in auto racing) a starting position on the inside of the front row.
an advantageous position.

pole position British

noun

(in motor racing) the starting position on the inside of the front row, generally considered the best one
an advantageous starting position

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

First, OpenAI would have to lose its AI pole position.

From Barron's • Mar. 13, 2026

You’re in pole position to leap into retirement.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 13, 2026

Russell's pole position - 0.8 seconds clear of the fastest non-Mercedes car - had sent shockwaves through the paddock on Saturday but the race was initially much closer than qualifying.

From BBC • Mar. 8, 2026

Firstly, he will have put his club in pole position to qualify for the Champions League, which few thought was realistic when he stepped into Amorim's shoes.

From BBC • Mar. 4, 2026

Paramount leaders have been ferociously fighting to push Netflix out of the pole position.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 26, 2026

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023