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
But the latest round means OpenAI has raised more than any other AI company by a wide margin, which gives it the upper hand in the red-hot sector.
—
Dave Smith, Fortune, 1 Aug. 2025
Through seven practices the Dallas defense has had the upper hand on the offense overall.
—Jon MacHota, New York Times, 31 July 2025
But there’s no doubt that the matter of their divorce is still a sore subject, one in which Brady would very much like to claim the upper hand.
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 30 July 2025
Housing inventory rose to 5.6 months — up 1.8 months compared to April 2024 — but remains below the six to 6.5 months needed for a balanced market where neither buyers nor sellers have the upper hand.
—Shonda Novak, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for the upper hand
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Dave Smith, Fortune, 1 Aug. 2025
Through seven practices the Dallas defense has had the upper hand on the offense overall.
—Jon MacHota, New York Times, 31 July 2025
But there’s no doubt that the matter of their divorce is still a sore subject, one in which Brady would very much like to claim the upper hand.
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 30 July 2025
Housing inventory rose to 5.6 months — up 1.8 months compared to April 2024 — but remains below the six to 6.5 months needed for a balanced market where neither buyers nor sellers have the upper hand.
—Shonda Novak, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025
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 5 Aug. 2025.
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