Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

hold the cards

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.62 in modern English

Syllables: hold the -cards
IPA

22

Scrabble Score

12

Letters

2

Syllables

10

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To be in a strong position, possessing significant advantages over someone else; to be in control of a situation involving multiple parties.

Example Sentences

""[B]ut if you make conditions I have no choice but to accept them, seeing that you hold the cards.""
"Once a ticket is paid for and the airline has your money, it holds the cards."
""In the short term, from a power perspective, the current Zimbabwe elite is holding the cards," says Steven Friedman, director of the Center for the Study of Democracy."

Inflected Forms

holds the cards (present, singular) holding the cards (participle, present) held the cards (participle, past) held the cards (past) hold all the cards (alternative)

Phrases

the upper hand whip hand

Frequently Paired Words

the upper hand whip hand

Synonyms

hold all the aces hold the aces

Questions

What does hold the cards mean?: To be in a strong position, possessing significant advantages over someone else; to be in control of a situation involving multiple parties.

How to pronounce hold the cards

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “hold the cards”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “hold the cards”.
Repeat and practice — Say “hold the cards” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.