as in advantage
the more favorable condition or position in a competition
finally gained the upper hand in the argument
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Recent Examples of upper hand
This history shows that buying territory in the Arctic has been a longstanding practice for geopolitical rivals struggling to gain an upper hand and ensure their own defense.
—
James Patton Rogers & Caroline Kennedy Pipe / Made By History , TIME, 23 Jan. 2025
Related Articles Firefighters gain upper hand after 80-acre Bonsall fire forces evacuations in California
Editorial: Colorado’s new last-resort insurance company shares a name with California’s.
—Lauren Penington, The Denver Post, 23 Jan. 2025
Liberals will hope that recent shifts in the electorate, along with a potential reaction to Trump, can once again give them an upper hand this year.
—Geoffrey Skelley, ABC News, 6 Jan. 2025
Winds poised to intensify, complicating LA wildfire battle Efforts to gain an upper hand against the deadly infernos continue into Monday amid ominous new wind warnings threatening Southern California communities.
—Nicole Fallert, USA TODAY, 13 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for upper hand
James Patton Rogers & Caroline Kennedy Pipe / Made By History , TIME, 23 Jan. 2025
Related Articles Firefighters gain upper hand after 80-acre Bonsall fire forces evacuations in California
Editorial: Colorado’s new last-resort insurance company shares a name with California’s.
—Lauren Penington, The Denver Post, 23 Jan. 2025
Liberals will hope that recent shifts in the electorate, along with a potential reaction to Trump, can once again give them an upper hand this year.
—Geoffrey Skelley, ABC News, 6 Jan. 2025
Winds poised to intensify, complicating LA wildfire battle Efforts to gain an upper hand against the deadly infernos continue into Monday amid ominous new wind warnings threatening Southern California communities.
—Nicole Fallert, USA TODAY, 13 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for upper hand
Recent Examples of Synonyms for upper hand
Noun
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The Stars finished with a 50-26-6 record, edging out Colorado for second in the division and home ice advantage in this series.—
Nicholas Creel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 Apr. 2025
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The District 3 race could also play a key role on whether Mahan successfully implements his policy agenda over the next year, as his bloc currently holds a slim voting advantage on the dais that could shift if Quevedo does not win the seat.—
Devan Patel,
Mercury News,
19 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Six female celebs — including pop songstress Katy Perry, journalist Gayle King and Jeff Bezos’s fiancée, author Lauren Sánchez — are slated to blast off Monday morning in a Blue Origin rocket headed for the edge of space.—
Theresa Braine,
New York Daily News,
14 Apr. 2025
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The Karman Line, located 62 miles above Earth, demarcates the edge of space.—
Greg Wehner,
FOXNews.com,
14 Apr. 2025
Noun
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On the road - Drive in the middle lanes and stay on high ground.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Apr. 2025
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The result was an antislavery moral high ground from which the United Kingdom, and later the U.S., could measure other countries and monitor the high seas.—
Austin Choi-Fitzpatrick,
The Conversation,
4 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Operating in such a variable market requires local and regional expertise, as lenders with boots on the ground often have an inside track on conditions and opportunities unique to a specific community and properties.—
Sam Sidhu,
Forbes.com,
8 Apr. 2025
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Operating in such a variable market requires local and regional expertise, as lenders with boots on the ground often have an inside track on conditions and opportunities unique to a specific community and properties.—
Sam Sidhu,
Forbes.com,
8 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Upper hand.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/upper%20hand. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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