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
Rain would clearly help crews continue to get the upper hand on wildfires burning in the area, but lightning from thunderstorms would not help at all.
—
Manuel Bojorquez, CBS News, 12 May 2026
Ukraine has focused on cutting-edge drone technology and battle testing to give it the upper hand and help hold back Moscow’s bigger military.
—Yuliya Talmazan, NBC news, 12 May 2026
In such a struggle, the side with more resources—from industrial capacity to expendable soldiers—should eventually emerge with the upper hand.
—Joshua Yaffa, New Yorker, 8 May 2026
En route to finally winning a Super Bowl, the Colts were finally getting the upper hand on their longtime bugaboo, the Brady-Bill Belichick Patriots.
—Jim Reineking, USA Today, 4 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for the upper hand
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Manuel Bojorquez, CBS News, 12 May 2026
Ukraine has focused on cutting-edge drone technology and battle testing to give it the upper hand and help hold back Moscow’s bigger military.
—Yuliya Talmazan, NBC news, 12 May 2026
In such a struggle, the side with more resources—from industrial capacity to expendable soldiers—should eventually emerge with the upper hand.
—Joshua Yaffa, New Yorker, 8 May 2026
En route to finally winning a Super Bowl, the Colts were finally getting the upper hand on their longtime bugaboo, the Brady-Bill Belichick Patriots.
—Jim Reineking, USA Today, 4 May 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 14 May. 2026.
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