upper hand

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.

Enrollment declines opened the door to maintenance staff layoffs, giving the invasive shrub the upper hand.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026

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

From Slate • Apr. 8, 2026

Evloev was predicted to grapple with Murphy but it was not until the third round, with the Briton gaining the upper hand in the striking, that he attempted his first takedown.

From BBC • Mar. 21, 2026

As this battle plays out, some experts say Anthropic would probably have an upper hand in court.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 20, 2026

Luke felt a surge of pride that he’d gotten the upper hand, that he had earned the right to decide what happened next.

From "Among the Hidden" by Margaret Peterson Haddix