have the 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.

A former official with the DoD, who asked not to be named, told the BBC that Anthropic appeared to have the upper hand in the fight.

From BBC • Feb. 27, 2026

For the first few months Grenell seemed to have the upper hand: There were prisoner exchanges, deportation flights, Chevron’s license was renewed.

From Slate • Jan. 6, 2026

AI experts say it’s too early to tell who will ultimately have the upper hand in AI.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 11, 2025

With both sides dug in and thinking they have the upper hand, it’s unlikely either side will meaningfully roll back export restrictions for now, analysts say.

From Barron's • Oct. 21, 2025

Whatever they faced, he’d have the upper hand as long as they were at sea.

From "The Son of Neptune" by Rick Riordan