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
Now, the legal restraining straps are off, Altman has the upper hand, and Musk knows it.
—
Dominic Patten, Deadline, 18 May 2026
When asked which side had the upper hand in the conflict, 41% said neither the United States or Iran had an advantage.
—Christopher Cann, USA Today, 18 May 2026
Ukraine is gaining the upper hand, analysts noted, pointing to Russia’s high death toll and territorial losses.
—Tasneem Nashrulla, semafor.com, 17 May 2026
But this was a chance to flip that script and take the upper hand in this series.
—Matthew Fairburn, New York Times, 15 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for the upper hand
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Dominic Patten, Deadline, 18 May 2026
When asked which side had the upper hand in the conflict, 41% said neither the United States or Iran had an advantage.
—Christopher Cann, USA Today, 18 May 2026
Ukraine is gaining the upper hand, analysts noted, pointing to Russia’s high death toll and territorial losses.
—Tasneem Nashrulla, semafor.com, 17 May 2026
But this was a chance to flip that script and take the upper hand in this series.
—Matthew Fairburn, New York Times, 15 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 21 May. 2026.
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