get/have a handle on
idiom
informal
: to understand and be able to deal with (something)
I can't quite get a handle on the way this machine works.
It seemed like she had a good handle on the situation.
Examples of get/have a handle on in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
India must also get a handle on its China challenge.
—
Michael Kugelman, TIME, 5 June 2024
There is great interest in doing serology studies among farmworkers — drawing blood to look for antibodies to H5N1 to try to get a handle on how often the virus is infecting people on farms.
—Helen Branswell, STAT, 5 June 2024
Impossible to get a handle on with one lone visit — or six visits even.
—Scott Hocker, theweek, 15 Apr. 2024
As a result, governments struggle to get a handle on the real threats and risks already out there.
—Marietje Schaake, Foreign Affairs, 13 Oct. 2020
But for Alan McDaniel, who has an insurance agency in Castle Rock, the threat of wildfire is the primary obstacle when looking for ways to get a handle on rising insurance costs.
—Judith Kohler, The Denver Post, 11 May 2024
Outside, the Peoria police and fire departments began coordinating to get a handle on the situation.
—Shawn Raymundo, The Arizona Republic, 19 Apr. 2024
The anniversary comes as public frustration continues to mount over street homelessness and city officials’ seeming inability to get a handle on the crisis.
—Ethan Varian, The Mercury News, 10 Apr. 2024
In recent years, a number of states have tried to get a handle on the issue.
—Emily Tate Sullivan, USA TODAY, 21 Feb. 2024
Michael Kugelman, TIME, 5 June 2024
There is great interest in doing serology studies among farmworkers — drawing blood to look for antibodies to H5N1 to try to get a handle on how often the virus is infecting people on farms.
—Helen Branswell, STAT, 5 June 2024
Impossible to get a handle on with one lone visit — or six visits even.
—Scott Hocker, theweek, 15 Apr. 2024
As a result, governments struggle to get a handle on the real threats and risks already out there.
—Marietje Schaake, Foreign Affairs, 13 Oct. 2020
But for Alan McDaniel, who has an insurance agency in Castle Rock, the threat of wildfire is the primary obstacle when looking for ways to get a handle on rising insurance costs.
—Judith Kohler, The Denver Post, 11 May 2024
Outside, the Peoria police and fire departments began coordinating to get a handle on the situation.
—Shawn Raymundo, The Arizona Republic, 19 Apr. 2024
The anniversary comes as public frustration continues to mount over street homelessness and city officials’ seeming inability to get a handle on the crisis.
—Ethan Varian, The Mercury News, 10 Apr. 2024
In recent years, a number of states have tried to get a handle on the issue.
—Emily Tate Sullivan, USA TODAY, 21 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'get/have a handle on.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Get/have a handle on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/get%2Fhave%20a%20handle%20on. Accessed 18 Jun. 2024.
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