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
The Current Labor Market Landscape The pendulum has swung in the labor market leaving employers with the upper hand.
—
Roberta Matuson, Forbes, 25 Mar. 2025
Conversely, the villains are the ones with the money and the upper hand like The Joker and Black Mask, who have exorbitant amounts of capabilities through their seemingly endless fortunes.
—Kevin Sabet, Newsweek, 24 Mar. 2025
Their big fear is President Vladimir Putin of Russia gaining the upper hand in Ukraine talks — especially if Trump looks to secure a windfall of mineral resources — putting Europe at risk.
—Andrew Ross Sorkin, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2025
While home prices are still rising across the U.S., driven by an ongoing supply shortage, in the two states with most of the new construction approvals in recent years—Florida and Texas—buyers are finally getting the upper hand.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 17 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the upper hand
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Roberta Matuson, Forbes, 25 Mar. 2025
Conversely, the villains are the ones with the money and the upper hand like The Joker and Black Mask, who have exorbitant amounts of capabilities through their seemingly endless fortunes.
—Kevin Sabet, Newsweek, 24 Mar. 2025
Their big fear is President Vladimir Putin of Russia gaining the upper hand in Ukraine talks — especially if Trump looks to secure a windfall of mineral resources — putting Europe at risk.
—Andrew Ross Sorkin, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2025
While home prices are still rising across the U.S., driven by an ongoing supply shortage, in the two states with most of the new construction approvals in recent years—Florida and Texas—buyers are finally getting the upper hand.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 17 Mar. 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 9 Apr. 2025.
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