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
Even though buyers have the upper hand, Landin doesn’t suggest waiting too long to make a final decision.
—
Lily O'Neill, San Antonio Express-News, 2 Apr. 2026
Instead, tech-savvy humans will have the upper hand on those who resist it.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 1 Apr. 2026
The Florida and Texas metros with the highest share of stale listings are all solid buyer’s markets, where buyers have the upper hand over sellers and can negotiate lower prices as well as backing out of unfavorable deals.
—Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
But Iran still has the upper hand in many ways – in part because of its unconventional warfare methods, including cheap drones and sea mines, and in part because of its geography.
—Annette Choi, CNN Money, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for the upper hand
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Lily O'Neill, San Antonio Express-News, 2 Apr. 2026
Instead, tech-savvy humans will have the upper hand on those who resist it.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 1 Apr. 2026
The Florida and Texas metros with the highest share of stale listings are all solid buyer’s markets, where buyers have the upper hand over sellers and can negotiate lower prices as well as backing out of unfavorable deals.
—Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
But Iran still has the upper hand in many ways – in part because of its unconventional warfare methods, including cheap drones and sea mines, and in part because of its geography.
—Annette Choi, CNN Money, 27 Mar. 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 6 Apr. 2026.
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