upper hand

noun

: mastery, advantage, control
was determined not to let the opposition get the upper hand

Examples of upper hand in a Sentence

finally gained the upper hand in the argument
Recent Examples on the Web Suspicious that studio executives were leaking information to get an upper hand, the Writers Guild of America told members not to believe press reports but, rather, to get their information from the union. Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 16 June 2024 But in this regard, Lopez may still be hoping to maintain an upper hand. Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 13 June 2024 For games with winning chances of 50 percent or worse, there is no betting strategy that secures an upper hand in a finite world. Jack Murtagh, Scientific American, 10 Aug. 2023 That economic reliance has given Xi a slight upper hand. Stephanie Yang, Los Angeles Times, 16 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for upper hand 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'upper hand.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of upper hand was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near upper hand

Cite this Entry

“Upper hand.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/upper%20hand. Accessed 4 Jul. 2024.

Kids Definition

upper hand

noun
: the position of being ahead or in control

More from Merriam-Webster on upper hand

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