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

• few
• couple

Examples of handful in a Sentence

The children collected seashells by the handful.

Our dog is a real handful.

Recent Examples on the Web

There are a handful of factors to consider when planning for your farm stand inventory. —Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 July 2025

However, as the free agency period opens up on July 1st, this factor is at least something to note when a team is deciding between a handful of teams. —Tyler Small, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025

According to the study, of these children a few died of respiratory issues, a few of fever, a handful of diarrhea. —Gabrielle Emanuel, NPR, 1 July 2025

There are only a handful of companies focused on reproductive longevity. —Karina Zaiets, USA Today, 30 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

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

Rhymes for handful

• brimful
• mouthful
• roomful
• spoonful
• full
• pull
• wool

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