creaming off
Siphoning the top
Creaming off is taking the best or most valuable part of something for oneself, leaving the rest for others.
The image comes from skimming cream from the top of milk: The private schools cream off the brightest students.
The phrase often implies unfairness—that someone is extracting value they haven't fully earned or shouldn't exclusively claim.
- topUppermost part or surface
- skimmingPassing lightly over
- selectionChosen item or items
- monopolizationGaining exclusive market control
- profit-takingSelling to realize gains
gravy train · fat cats · surface · elitism · gatekeeping · cherry-picking · inequity · brain drain · gleaning · appropriating · privilege · insider access · winnowing · extraction · favoritism · siphoning · harvesting · sifting
creaming offpooling
Merging shared contributions
redistributing · giving back · reinvesting · plowing back · contributing
creaming offsettling for less
cream, creaming, creamed, creamy, creamier, creamiest, creaminess