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
Grabbing a gun, Lexy gets the upper hand, just as Anna’s detective husband, Jack (Jon Bernthal), arrives and throws Anna out of the way.
—
Derek Lawrence, HollywoodReporter, 12 Jan. 2026
On Wall Street, the bulls have the upper hand over the bears in the narrative, and that has paid off handsomely for investors, but there are skeptics.
—Bob Woods, CNBC, 11 Jan. 2026
The latter are increasingly gaining the upper hand; in 2025, the Freedom Caucus gained a majority in the Wyoming House, marking the first time the group had won control over a state legislative chamber.
—Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 10 Jan. 2026
In some areas, like Mexico City, the government has the upper hand.
—Mary Beth Sheridan, CNN Money, 9 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for the upper hand
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Derek Lawrence, HollywoodReporter, 12 Jan. 2026
On Wall Street, the bulls have the upper hand over the bears in the narrative, and that has paid off handsomely for investors, but there are skeptics.
—Bob Woods, CNBC, 11 Jan. 2026
The latter are increasingly gaining the upper hand; in 2025, the Freedom Caucus gained a majority in the Wyoming House, marking the first time the group had won control over a state legislative chamber.
—Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 10 Jan. 2026
In some areas, like Mexico City, the government has the upper hand.
—Mary Beth Sheridan, CNN Money, 9 Jan. 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 13 Jan. 2026.
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