upper hand
noun
Examples of upper hand in a Sentence
finally gained the upper hand in the argument
Recent Examples on the Web
But instead, Beijing exploited this opening to consolidate control, get rich, and gain the economic upper hand over other countries.
—
A. Wess Mitchell, Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2025
Yesterday, Trump told reporters on Air Force One that China was holding up the sale, suggesting that China may have an upper hand in TikTok negotiations, and perhaps TikTok is losing its sheen as a US bargaining chip in Trump's bigger trade war.
—ArsTechnica, 18 June 2025
In a back and forth game, the Pioneers got an upper hand and secured an 52-44 victory.
—Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Feb. 2025
In a Game 5 rout in Toronto, Tkachuk’s line was dominant, with a 16-3 advantage on attempts, a 9-1 edge on scoring chances, a 71 percent expected goal share and a 1-0 upper hand on goals, with Tkachuk assisting on Dmitry Kulikov’s winner.
—Michael Russo, New York Times, 20 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for upper hand
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
A. Wess Mitchell, Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2025
Yesterday, Trump told reporters on Air Force One that China was holding up the sale, suggesting that China may have an upper hand in TikTok negotiations, and perhaps TikTok is losing its sheen as a US bargaining chip in Trump's bigger trade war.
—ArsTechnica, 18 June 2025
In a back and forth game, the Pioneers got an upper hand and secured an 52-44 victory.
—Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Feb. 2025
In a Game 5 rout in Toronto, Tkachuk’s line was dominant, with a 16-3 advantage on attempts, a 9-1 edge on scoring chances, a 71 percent expected goal share and a 1-0 upper hand on goals, with Tkachuk assisting on Dmitry Kulikov’s winner.
—Michael Russo, New York Times, 20 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for upper hand
Cite this Entry
“Upper hand.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/upper%20hand. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share