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 figurativelyThe 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
But so far there’s been little sign of real compromise from the Kremlin, which regards itself as having the upper hand on the grinding Ukrainian battlefield.
—
Matthew Chance, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2025
Sky tried to start with high-flying acrobatics but Ripley’s powerhouse stature gave her the upper hand.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 4 Aug. 2025
But the latest round means OpenAI has raised more than any other AI company by a wide margin, which gives it the upper hand in the red-hot sector.
—Dave Smith, Fortune, 1 Aug. 2025
Through seven practices the Dallas defense has had the upper hand on the offense overall.
—Jon MacHota, New York Times, 31 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for the upper hand
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Matthew Chance, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2025
Sky tried to start with high-flying acrobatics but Ripley’s powerhouse stature gave her the upper hand.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 4 Aug. 2025
But the latest round means OpenAI has raised more than any other AI company by a wide margin, which gives it the upper hand in the red-hot sector.
—Dave Smith, Fortune, 1 Aug. 2025
Through seven practices the Dallas defense has had the upper hand on the offense overall.
—Jon MacHota, New York Times, 31 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for the upper hand
Cite this Entry
“The upper hand.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20upper%20hand. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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