handful

noun

hand·​ful ˈhan(d)-ˌfu̇l 

plural handfuls ˈhan(d)-ˌfu̇lz  also handsful ˈhan(d)z-ˌfu̇l 

1

: as much or as many as the hand will grasp

2

: a small quantity or number

a handful of people

3

: as much as one can manage

the kids are quite a handful

Synonyms

• couple
• few
• scatter
• scattering
• smatter
• smattering
• sprinkle
• sprinkling

Examples of handful in a Sentence

The children collected seashells by the handful.

Our dog is a real handful.

Recent Examples on the Web

That album and the handful of supporting shows maintained the defining qualities that made the dB’s exemplars of smart, arty yet accessible pop. —Bill Kopp, SPIN, 6 June 2024

Kelce, 34, and Swift, 34, first sparked dating rumors in September 2023 after Swift attended a handful of Kelce's games. —Danielle Jennings, Peoplemag, 6 June 2024

Street medicine teams report having just a handful of patients on these medications at any one time (King’s team in Los Angeles has about two dozen). —Cal Matters, The Mercury News, 5 June 2024

The board’s vote was met with cheers and applause from both the dais and the audience, which included a handful of Shelton’s family members who were there to support her. —Emily Alvarenga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 June 2024

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

handful

noun

hand·​ful ˈhan(d)-ˌfu̇l 

plural handfuls -ˌfu̇lz  also handsful ˈhan(d)z-ˌfu̇l 

1

: as much or as many as the hand will grasp

a handful of jelly beans

2

: a small quantity or number

a handful of people

3

: as much as one can control or manage

the three babies are quite a handful