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Meaning & use

holding all the cards

phrase·Advancedinformal

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UK/ˌhəʊldɪŋ ɔːl ðə ˈkɑːdz/
US/ˌhoʊldɪŋ ɔːl ðə ˈkɑːrdz/

Meanings

  1. phraseidiom

    In a situation where you have more power or better options than everyone else, so you can decide what happens.

    Grammar: Used after be or another linking verb: "they are holding all the cards." It describes a state, not a single action.

    Patterns

    • be holding all the cards
    • hold all the cards in something

    After the other firm dropped out, we were holding all the cards in the negotiation.

    She knows the buyer has no other offers, so she is holding all the cards and can ask for more money.

    For once the students were holding all the cards, because the teacher needed their help.

  2. phraseidiom

    To be in control of the most important information or resources in a contest or dispute.

    Grammar: Often used of companies, teams or countries that control something others need.

    Patterns

    • be holding all the cards
    • hold all the cards

    The company holds all the cards here: it owns the patent everyone needs.

    Once the rebels took the port, they were holding all the cards.

Common combinations

be holding all the cards
With two weeks left before the deadline, the union was holding all the cards.
hold all the cards in a negotiation
Small suppliers rarely hold all the cards in a negotiation with a huge retailer.
suddenly be holding all the cards
When the star player's contract ran out, the club suddenly found itself holding all the cards.
seem to be holding all the cards
On paper the home team seems to be holding all the cards.
no longer holding all the cards
After the new competitor arrived, they were no longer holding all the cards.

Synonyms and how they differ

having the upper hand
Means being slightly ahead in a struggle; "holding all the cards" suggests a much stronger, more dominant position.
in the driver's seat
Focuses on being the one who controls events; "holding all the cards" stresses having the best options and information.
having the advantage
A plainer, more neutral phrase; use it in formal writing where the card idiom feels too casual.

Opposites

at a disadvantageholding the weaker hand

Word family

card noun
One of the pieces of stiff paper used in games; the image behind the idiom.
hold verb
To have something in your hand or possession; here it means to possess an advantage.

Commonly confused: holding all the cards or playing your cards right? holding all the cards or holding the cards?

holding all the cards vs playing your cards right

This means acting cleverly to succeed, not having more power than others. You can play your cards right and still not be holding all the cards.

holding all the cards vs holding the cards

A shorter version of the same idea, but it is much less common; learners should use the full phrase with "all".

Practice

The supplier controls the only factory that makes the part, so in these talks it is clearly ______.

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