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Showing results for upper hand.
Definitions

upper hand

NOUN
major advantage
Synonyms
STRONGEST
advantage dominance leverage superiority supremacy
WEAK
authority benefit break control driver's seat edge favor gain help improvement lead leg up rule trump hand whip hand
Antonyms
STRONGEST
disadvantage subservience

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Police eventually cleared the show, but Dead City had the upper hand.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 15, 2026

Only hours before the announcement of the ceasefire, the hardline Chief Justice, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, told Iranian state TV that Iran was seeking an end to the war while still maintaining an upper hand.

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026

And the Iranians will come into the talks thinking they have the upper hand.

From Slate • Apr. 8, 2026

He has gained the upper hand over Iran’s president and other top leaders, they say.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 8, 2026

No way to explain what happened “blows and scores” ago, but right now they had the upper hand.

From "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou