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

Our team chose a handful of winning entries and honorable mentions from fourth graders, middle and high schoolers. — Janet W. Lee, NPR, 3 July 2026

His first instinct was to reduce a sprawling set of problems into a handful of concrete priorities. — Andrew Staples, Fortune, 3 July 2026

Outside of Texas, a handful of workshops have also achieved near-pilgrimage status among ranchers, rodeo competitors, and collectors. — Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 July 2026

And yet, in only a handful of lifetimes, America has reshaped the world, as our notion of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness spread to the tiniest towns and the biggest stages. — Lonnie G. Bunch Iii, The Atlantic, 4 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for handful

• brimful
• mirthful
• 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