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
His words serve not only as a defense but also as a way to sway public opinion and prevent Buzbee from gaining the upper hand.
3.
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Molly McPherson, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2024
Assad’s regime had appeared to have gained the upper hand after receiving significant military support from Iran and Russia.
—Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 9 Dec. 2024
After just ten months, Caracalla gained the upper hand by ordering a group of centurions to kill Geta, reportedly while their mother held him in her arms, trying to protect him.
—Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Nov. 2024
Joe is driven by a cognitive-dissonant belief in her Sisyphean post — ever maintaining the upper hand to protect the scraps of the American Dream that cradle her family inside America’s borders.
—Andy Andersen, Vulture, 17 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for the upper hand 
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Molly McPherson, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2024
Assad’s regime had appeared to have gained the upper hand after receiving significant military support from Iran and Russia.
—Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 9 Dec. 2024
After just ten months, Caracalla gained the upper hand by ordering a group of centurions to kill Geta, reportedly while their mother held him in her arms, trying to protect him.
—Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Nov. 2024
Joe is driven by a cognitive-dissonant belief in her Sisyphean post — ever maintaining the upper hand to protect the scraps of the American Dream that cradle her family inside America’s borders.
—Andy Andersen, Vulture, 17 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for the upper hand
Dictionary Entries Near 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 21 Dec. 2024.
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