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
Leroy gets the upper hand on the soldiers and is able to steal a gun.
—
Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 15 Dec. 2025
And energy is where analysts increasingly say China has the upper hand.
—Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 10 Dec. 2025
The shoveling tactic featured in this video gives you the upper hand when the plow comes back for its final pass.
—Cincinnati Enquirer, 3 Dec. 2025
After exchanging some slaps in the ring, Vaquer gained the upper hand and hit another Devil's Kiss on Nikki before going to the corner for a corkscrew splash to grab the pinfall win.
—Matthew Couden, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the upper hand
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Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 15 Dec. 2025
And energy is where analysts increasingly say China has the upper hand.
—Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 10 Dec. 2025
The shoveling tactic featured in this video gives you the upper hand when the plow comes back for its final pass.
—Cincinnati Enquirer, 3 Dec. 2025
After exchanging some slaps in the ring, Vaquer gained the upper hand and hit another Devil's Kiss on Nikki before going to the corner for a corkscrew splash to grab the pinfall win.
—Matthew Couden, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Nov. 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 22 Dec. 2025.
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