hand over 1 of 2

Definition of hand overnext
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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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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3
4
as in to pass
to shift possession of (something) from one person to another hand over that screwdriver, will you please?

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handover

2 of 2

noun

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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of 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
  • But for Iran, reopening the strait does not mean relinquishing control of it.
    Eleni Giokos, CNN Money, 27 June 2026
  • Neusch relinquished fire control to the bio-andy’s tactical routines.
    Jeff Spry, Space.com, 26 June 2026
Verb
  • With free childcare provided, women were able to get assistance with resumes, hair and makeup help from Ulta Beauty, as well as a complementary professional headshot.
    Kristine Sorensen, CBS News, 27 June 2026
  • Modern pumps can double as cooling devices, which could provide an effective solution in more intense summer weather.
    Chloe Taylor, CNBC, 27 June 2026
Verb
  • The announcement came just hours after the Supreme Court handed a major victory to the makers of the weedkiller Roundup, shielding it from thousands of lawsuits from states alleging the company failed to warn people the product could cause cancer.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2026
  • Trea Turner drove in Hill with a tiebreaking single in the seventh inning, and Philadelphia spoiled Andy Green's debut as Mets interim manager by handing New York its seventh consecutive defeat.
    CBS News, CBS News, 26 June 2026
Noun
  • 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.
    Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
  • 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.
    Joe Yogerst, CNN Money, 26 June 2026
Verb
  • 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.
    Tal Lev-Ami, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026
  • 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.
    Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 23 June 2026
Verb
  • 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.
    Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 24 June 2026
  • 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.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 24 June 2026
Verb
  • Yet robust economic growth has proved elusive, even as government debt has climbed, leaving successive administrations with little firepower to fix a growing list of related challenges, from crumbling infrastructure to a chronic housing shortage.
    Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 23 June 2026
  • Adis does the right thing and asks to leave the boat.
    Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 23 June 2026
Noun
  • Three drugs in active clinical development could reshape how doctors approach androgenetic alopecia in both men and women, and the first regulatory submissions are already underway.
    Allison Palmer, Kansas City Star, 22 June 2026
  • Clascoterone is completing its safety dataset with regulatory submissions already in motion.
    Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 22 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Hand over.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hand%20over. Accessed 1 Jul. 2026.

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