advantaged

1. 1
   adjective

   Financially secure and belonging to a wealthy, economically successful group.

   The policy mainly benefited advantaged households with stable incomes and savings.

   He came from an advantaged background that opened doors others never had.

   Similarprivileged, affluent, wealthy, well-off, prosperous

   Oppositedisadvantaged, underprivileged, deprived, poor

   Note

   A word for standing in life rather than for a single lucky break. It describes people and the groups they belong to, and it is fully gradable: one family can be more advantaged than another, and the most advantaged sit at the top. Where the "favored in a contest" meaning points to a particular edge someone was handed, this sense describes a settled, secure position.

2. 2
   adjective

   Having been given an advantage, for instance through biased referees in a competition.

   Rival clubs argued the champions were advantaged by lenient officiating all season.

   The debaters felt advantaged once it became clear the moderator shared their views.

   Similarfavored

   Oppositedisadvantaged, handicapped, penalized

3. 3
   verb

   Simple past and past participle of advantage.

   The trade deal advantaged exporters while hurting local manufacturers.

   A strong tailwind advantaged the cyclists on the final stretch.

   Note

   The regular -ed form does double duty. It is the past tense (the deal advantaged exporters) and also the participle that builds the passive (exporters were advantaged by the deal). That passive is the bridge to the adjective for being favored. As a verb it is transitive and needs an object. A reflexive use, advantaging oneself, means turning something to one's own benefit.

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