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 figuratively
The infection was gaining the upper hand and the patient's condition was deteriorating.

Examples of the upper hand in a Sentence

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In terms of quality and handling, the CR-V Hybrid has the upper hand. — Charles Singh, USA Today, 10 Aug. 2026 On Saturday morning, Kansas passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach Jim Zebrowski declined to provide an update on who had the upper hand in the competition. — Kansas City Star, 8 Aug. 2026 After getting the upper hand, VCFD officials said that crews would remain on scene overnight to continue mopping up hotspots and strengthening containment lines. — Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 8 Aug. 2026 Both firms report second-quarter earnings this week, and their results are likely to reveal which has the upper hand. — Alexei Oreskovic, Fortune, 29 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for the upper hand

Rhymes for the upper hand

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Browse Nearby Words

the upper crust
the upper hand
the upshot
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Cite this Entry

“The upper hand.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20upper%20hand. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

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