handheld

adjective

hand·​held ˈhan(d)-ˌheld 

-ˈheld

: held in the hand

especially : designed to be operated while being held in the hand

handheld computers

handheld

ˈhan(d)-ˌheld 

noun

Examples of handheld in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In Kenya, this actuarial approach manifested as weeks spent in a Land Rover, counting herds of zebra with a handheld mechanical tally counter in my right hand and binoculars in my left. — Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2026

Everyone loves a handheld snack, especially one wrapped in bacon glazed with brown sugar. — Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 19 Sep. 2026

There was a period where your work was almost vérité — handheld, rough, immediate. — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2026

But while the visual language of prestige TV — handheld realism, long silences, and anxious scores — is still alive, the scale of stories has collapsed. — Henry Metz, Rolling Stone, 11 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1891, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for handheld

• barrelled
• beheld
• bushveld
• chiselled
• compelled
• dispelled
• excelled
• expelled
• impelled
• marvelled
• misspelled
• modelled

Kids Definition

handheld

adjective

hand·​held -ˌheld 

: held in the hand

especially : designed to be used while being held in the hand

a handheld computer

handheld noun