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.

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

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 15, 2026

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

From Slate • Apr. 8, 2026

More broadly, businesses are reclaiming the upper hand in the employer-employee relationship after a period of worker empowerment.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026

But after telling his corner he had hurt his hip, Murphy struggled to defend takedowns like he had before and Evloev gained the upper hand in the closing stages.

From BBC • Mar. 21, 2026

Of course, Dick was a “blowhard”; his toughness, as Perry had come to know, existed solely in situations where he unarguably had the upper hand.

From "In Cold Blood" by Truman Capote