as in advantage
the more favorable condition or position in a competition
finally gained the upper hand in the argument
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Recent Examples of upper hand
Trump has wielded the ceasefire as a carrot and stick, issuing peace overtures one day and threats the next day, all in an attempt to get an upper hand in the negotiations.
—
Sudarsan Raghavan, New Yorker, 12 May 2026
Seven candidates for California governor crowded a CNN debate stage in East Los Angeles on Tuesday, spending much of the two hours sparring and strategizing to gain an upper hand in a race that still remains fluid.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 5 May 2026
My colleague Nancy Youssef, a staff writer who covers the Pentagon and has been reporting on the negotiations, told me that this time, Iran has a clear upper hand.
—Will Gottsegen, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2026
The experience creep phenomenon is particularly acute in tech, which is the softest of sectors in terms of hiring, giving employers a firm upper hand.
—Claire Zillman, Fortune, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for upper hand
Sudarsan Raghavan, New Yorker, 12 May 2026
Seven candidates for California governor crowded a CNN debate stage in East Los Angeles on Tuesday, spending much of the two hours sparring and strategizing to gain an upper hand in a race that still remains fluid.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 5 May 2026
My colleague Nancy Youssef, a staff writer who covers the Pentagon and has been reporting on the negotiations, told me that this time, Iran has a clear upper hand.
—Will Gottsegen, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2026
The experience creep phenomenon is particularly acute in tech, which is the softest of sectors in terms of hiring, giving employers a firm upper hand.
—Claire Zillman, Fortune, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for upper hand
Recent Examples of Synonyms for upper hand
Noun
-
Economic analysis in the January 2026 White House Council of Economic Advisors report reinforces the advantages of this approach.—
Nicole Huyer,
The Orlando Sentinel,
24 May 2026
-
The outfielder used his blazing speed and smart baserunning to his advantage to manufacture both of Miami’s runs in its series opener against the Mets.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
23 May 2026
Noun
-
The mattress on the bed was a little short and my bare feet hung off the edge, beyond the light white sheet.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 May 2026
-
All that was left of the snow was shoveled into melting mounds at the edges of intersections and crosswalks.—
Jourdan Rodrigue,
New York Times,
28 May 2026
Noun
-
On the road - Drive in the middle lanes and stay on high ground.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
25 May 2026
-
On the road - Drive in the middle lanes and stay on high ground.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
24 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Upper hand.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/upper%20hand. Accessed 31 May. 2026.
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