1
as in to relinquish
to give (something) over to the control or possession of another usually under duress
the police officer ordered the suspect to hand over his weapons
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to provide
to put (something) into the possession of someone for use or consumption
in response to a desperate plea, we handed over all our extra blankets and pillows to the homeless shelter
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to hand
to put (something) into the possession or safekeeping of another
handed over their valuables to the desk clerk, who put them in the hotel safe
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as in surrender
the usually forced yielding of one's person or possessions to the control of another
though the handover of my wallet was painful, it was better than getting shot by some trigger-happy punk
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hand over
Jazmin Alvarado,
Los Angeles Times,
26 June 2026
The baby was removed from the rubble first and handed over to his father.
—
Nicole Acevedo,
NBC news,
26 June 2026
Jennifer Hassan,
USA Today,
24 June 2026
Critics say Beijing’s promise to allow the city to maintain its Western-style civil liberties after the 1997 handover is increasingly threadbare.
—
ABC News,
24 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for hand over
Verb
On Friday morning, Los Angeles firefighters who had been trying to put out the fire, which had sent smoke across the county for miles in every direction, were readying to hand over cleanup to Lineage, the tenant of the charred building.
—
Jazmin Alvarado,
Los Angeles Times,
26 June 2026
The baby was removed from the rubble first and handed over to his father.
—
Nicole Acevedo,
NBC news,
26 June 2026
Noun
The decision is a rare move from The Household Division, which oversees the ceremonial duties of the British Army and comes during one of the busiest seasons for British tourism – with many spectators flocking to royal residences to witness the historic military handover.
—
Jennifer Hassan,
USA Today,
24 June 2026
Critics say Beijing’s promise to allow the city to maintain its Western-style civil liberties after the 1997 handover is increasingly threadbare.
—
ABC News,
24 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for hand over
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hand over
Verb
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Willow Nightingale relinquished the championship in May due to a shoulder injury that also forced her out of the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament, leading AEW to create this match to crown a new champion.
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But for Iran, reopening the strait does not mean relinquishing control of it.
Verb
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Stroll the historic downtown for antiques, art, and more, all while the adjacent Truckee River provides a natural soundtrack.
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The state also provides a $20 per month taxable subsidy for workers who commute using a bike for at least half of work days each month.
Verb
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For purpose, whether anyone can trace their daily work to the larger picture without being handed a slogan.
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In the midst of handing the job over to his son, even as Diego is making a speech about water supplies, hygiene and education, Don Alejandro snatches it back to cheers, clutches his heart and dies.
Noun
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The guards outside the Red Keep surrender, but inside – where the dragons cannot go – is another matter, and the two fight their way to the throne room, where a large contingent of men-at-arms and knights awaits, gloating.
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Liberty, freedom, equality and revolution are the focus of an innovative exhibit at the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown, Virginia, on the site where the struggle for independence effectively ended with British surrender of October 19, 1781.
Verb
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Issues like slow image rendering on mobile devices or videos failing to auto-crop correctly—such as losing the subject when switching between portrait and landscape views—are often perceived as minor.
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Faux snakeskin takes the place of the woven Kevlar panel that usually defines the model, while the long mudguard beneath is rendered in black nubuck.
Verb
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Seoul — North Korea on Tuesday commissioned its largest-ever warship, a 5,000-ton destroyer that military analysts say could give Pyongyang’s adversaries something more to think about in a time of crisis.
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Dewey Burdock also joined the Fast-41 permitting program last year, giving it access to an accelerated federal review process reserved for priority infrastructure and critical mineral projects.
Verb
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The video assistant referee called for a review of the play while the two were down getting tended to by trainers, leaving the Americans to nurse their lead down a man for the rest of the game.
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Two of the attackers then smashed the windshield of the news van with a parking cone and damaged the camera before leaving the scene.
Noun
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The statement amounted to a complete submission to Thomas, who used her Tuesday media availability to blast Engelbert.
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With three different categories, judges from across the USA TODAY Network ranked each submission in order to narrow down the contest to just 30 finalists.
Cite this Entry
“Hand over.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hand%20over. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.
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