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

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

A scarcity of talent has, on balance, given workers the upper hand over their employers.

From Barron's • Apr. 2, 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