give an upper hand

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "give an upper hand" is grammatically correct and can be used in written English. It means to give someone an advantage or to put someone in a superior position. Example: The new technology gave our team an upper hand in the competition.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

In a statement, Mr. Hoffman, left, expressed concerns that running as a third-party candidate would draw votes away from Mr. Doheny and give an upper hand to the Democratic incumbent, Representative Bill Owens.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

The agency also defends its emphasis on insider trading, saying that the crime destroys confidence in public markets, giving an upper hand to Wall Street's well-connected elite and putting average investors at a disadvantage.

The New York Times

And pressure to hire workers created by such a change in tax incentives would bring such higher income levels to become the general wage norm for a resurgent middle class, sweeping Walmart along as it competes for workers who have been given an upper hand.

University of California, Berkeley

Proponents described these moves as commonsense reforms that would level the playing field between workers and management, while businesses claimed they gave an upper hand to unions.

Huffington Post

Hopkins continued to pressure Holmes late in the round, and for the first time, Hopkins's inside strength seemed to give him an upper hand.

The New York Times - Sports

Facebook's $550 million deal to buy hundreds of former AOL patents from Microsoft may give it an upper hand in the company's intellectual property fight with Yahoo.

The New York Times

The Italians have a weapon in their arsenal, however, that in most situations give them an upper hand on the downwind legs: a super-strong cloth from which their spinnakers are constructed called Cuben-fiber.

The New York Times - Sports

An executive at Viacom said its CBS News division decided not to pursue a deal with CNN because it believed that it would give CNN an upper hand in day-to-day decision making.

The New York Times

In an hourlong meeting in a conference room at the weekly newspaper, Miami New Times, Manfred and Courtney explained how obtaining the records would give them an upper hand in suspending the players.

The New York Times - Sports

In Europe, where Ms. Merkel and Mr. Hollande demanded Friday that the United States open negotiations on a "code of conduct" that would limit surveillance, there is a sense that the steady stream of revelations may give them an upper hand.

The New York Times

The role of the officer, according to one slide, was to discover countries' negotiating positions, report on how far they were prepared to negotiate, find out whether foreign negotiators were receiving instructions from their own governments and to report these back to UK officials to give Britain an upper hand.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "give an upper hand", ensure the context clearly indicates who or what is receiving the advantage and against whom or what they are gaining it.

Common error

Avoid using "give an upper hand" when the advantage conferred is minor or inconsequential. The phrase implies a notable benefit, so reserve it for situations where the advantage is substantial.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "give an upper hand" functions as a verb phrase that describes the act of providing someone or something with an advantage or a position of superiority. As Ludwig AI points out, it is a grammatically correct expression.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

36%

Academia

14%

Wiki

13%

Less common in

Science

12%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "give an upper hand" is a grammatically correct and widely used phrase that signifies providing an advantage or a superior position. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness. It appears frequently in News & Media, Academia, Wiki and Science sources, indicating its broad applicability. When using the phrase, ensure the context clearly defines who gains the advantage and in what context. While effective, avoid overstating the significance of the advantage. Alternatives such as ""provide an edge"" or ""confer an advantage"" can add variety to your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

lend a strategic advantage

More specific, suggesting a benefit specifically for planning and strategy.

supply a competitive advantage

Emphasizes the benefit in a competitive context, useful in business discussions.

provide an edge

Emphasizes a slight but significant advantage, often competitive.

impart a tactical advantage

Focuses on short-term goals instead of long-term.

confer an advantage

Focuses on the act of bestowing an advantage, slightly more formal.

offer a leverage

Highlights having a tactical advantage to apply pressure.

grant a benefit

Highlights the positive outcome received, less about strategic advantage.

create a favorable position

Describes the result of gaining advantage, less about the action of giving it.

bestow a supremacy

Implies a higher level of dominance, stronger than a simple advantage.

afford a superiority

Similar to 'bestow a supremacy' but focuses on the state of being superior.

FAQs

How can I use "give an upper hand" in a sentence?

You can use "give an upper hand" to describe how something provides an advantage. For example, "The new software "gives the team an upper hand" over its competitors".

What's a similar phrase to "give an upper hand"?

Alternatives to "give an upper hand" include "provide an edge", "confer an advantage", or "grant a benefit".

Is it correct to say "gave an upper hand" instead of "give an upper hand"?

Yes, "gave an upper hand" is the past tense form. For example, "The training "gave him an upper hand" in the competition."

What is the difference between "give an upper hand" and "give a leg up"?

"Give an upper hand" suggests a strategic advantage, while "give a leg up" implies providing assistance to overcome an initial obstacle. They are not perfectly interchangeable.