undue advantage
Illegitimate leg up
An undue advantage is a benefit gained through unfair, improper, or illegitimate means.
The phrase appears often in legal, competitive, and ethical contexts where someone exploits a position, information, or circumstance they shouldn't have access to: The insider trading gave him an undue advantage over other investors.
Unlike a fair advantage earned through skill or effort, an undue advantage implies something wrong about how it was obtained.
- monopolyOne seller, no substitutes
- fraudIntentional criminal trickery
- power imbalanceUnequal distribution of control
- stacked deckPre-arranged cards for cheating
- briberyCorrupt payment for influence
pay to play · quid pro quo · manipulation · unfair competition · exploitation · justice · coercion · favoritism · special treatment · misrepresentation · malpractice · deceit · insider trading · inside job · integrity · moving the goalposts · breach · illegality
undue advantagelevel playing field
Equal competitive conditions
fair competition · fair play · equal footing · equal opportunity · fairness
undue advantagedisadvantage
Unfavorable circumstance or condition
handicap · hindrance · impediment · obstacle · setback
undue, advantage, unduly, advantageous, advantageously, disadvantage, disadvantaged, disadvantageous