the upper hand

noun

: the position of having power or being in control in a particular situation

He always has to have the upper hand.

—sometimes used figuratively

The infection was gaining the upper hand and the patient's condition was deteriorating.

Examples of the upper hand in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

His task, seemingly simple, was to ring the bell at the right moment—just as Rocky was about to get the upper hand on Apollo. — Monica Coviello, Vanity Fair, 2 Oct. 2026

The Braves went from potentially losing Chris Sale’s start and seeing their season on the brink to now possessing the upper hand, well positioned to finally get the last laugh on their northern rivals. — Gabriel Burns, AJC.com, 30 Sep. 2026

But because the status quo is sustainable for each side, and because the parties lack the power to seize the upper hand, there will be no dramatic escalation, either. — Ali Vaez, Foreign Affairs, 29 Sep. 2026

But an early election could also carry the risk of putting Labour’s falling support in opinion polls since the 2024 election under the spotlight, as Reform and Labour vie for the upper hand. — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 29 Sep. 2026

Rhymes for the upper hand

• analysand
• misunderstand
• ampersand
• beforehand
• behindhand
• bottomland
• contraband
• countermand
• dixieland
• fairyland
• fatherland
• firebrand