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 of handful

• 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

The late basketball legend frequently visited China for Nike promo tours and during a handful of overseas NBA and Olympic games. —Riley Jones, Footwear News, 21 Dec. 2025

While headlines focused on the handful of companies pulling back on sustainability, or on a slowdown in clean tech growth, globally, the story was different. —Andrew Winston, Fortune, 21 Dec. 2025

While most houseplants are tropical in origin and, thus, are happiest when receiving bright, indirect light, a handful actually will do okay in windowless rooms. —Jenna Sims, Southern Living, 20 Dec. 2025

By the late 2010s, just a tiny handful of directors were still experimenting with the format. —Daniel Engber, The Atlantic, 20 Dec. 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