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

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

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

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 20, 2026

To regain the upper hand, the English set up a target made of steel.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann