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 flat shoes have the upper hand.
—
India Roby, Glamour, 20 Mar. 2026
Carroll, despite being impatient at times, kept the upper hand.
—Ishmael Johnson, Dallas Morning News, 20 Mar. 2026
But if the war turns into an exhausting quagmire, China could gain the upper hand over the United States in the long term.
—Craig Singleton, Washington Post, 17 Mar. 2026
The way the roster was constructed the club almost certainly would have added at least one non-roster invitee to fill out the bullpen, and Keller appeared to have the upper hand among the remaining contenders.
—Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 14 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for the upper hand
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India Roby, Glamour, 20 Mar. 2026
Carroll, despite being impatient at times, kept the upper hand.
—Ishmael Johnson, Dallas Morning News, 20 Mar. 2026
But if the war turns into an exhausting quagmire, China could gain the upper hand over the United States in the long term.
—Craig Singleton, Washington Post, 17 Mar. 2026
The way the roster was constructed the club almost certainly would have added at least one non-roster invitee to fill out the bullpen, and Keller appeared to have the upper hand among the remaining contenders.
—Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 14 Mar. 2026
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 23 Mar. 2026.
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