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
This is one place where the traditional players might have the upper hand over the likes of Netflix and YouTube.
—
Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 11 June 2025
Speed still matters, but value now has the upper hand.
—Richard Jones, Forbes.com, 11 June 2025
The aim is to strain British-US relations and strengthen the anti-nuclear movement ahead of an election so the Soviet Union can gain the upper hand.
—Carmel Dagan, Variety, 9 June 2025
But a large part of the fascination in watching two rivals battle it out for the duration of their careers comes from the twists and turns, as both parties figure out weaknesses and try to gain the upper hand.
—Matias Grez, CNN Money, 9 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for the upper hand
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Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 11 June 2025
Speed still matters, but value now has the upper hand.
—Richard Jones, Forbes.com, 11 June 2025
The aim is to strain British-US relations and strengthen the anti-nuclear movement ahead of an election so the Soviet Union can gain the upper hand.
—Carmel Dagan, Variety, 9 June 2025
But a large part of the fascination in watching two rivals battle it out for the duration of their careers comes from the twists and turns, as both parties figure out weaknesses and try to gain the upper hand.
—Matias Grez, CNN Money, 9 June 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 18 Jun. 2025.
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