the upper handnoun [ S ]
uk/ˌʌp.ə ˈhænd/us/ˌʌp.ɚ ˈhænd/C2 If you have the upper hand, you have more power than anyone else and so have control:
After hours of fierce negotiations, the president gained/got/had the upper hand.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Power to control
- ascendancy
- big beast
- buy-in
- chairmanship
- determination
- discipline
- dominant
- juice
- leadership
- lever
- manipulation
- mastery
- muscle
- oversight
- responsibility
- sphere of influence
- spin control
- state-controlled
- states' rights
- tooth
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