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

Needless to say, there are only a handful of milkweed leaves left in the yard that remain within their reach. — Markis Hill, Kansas City Star, 26 July 2026

Without him, the Heat will enter the season facing odds longer than a handful of top contenders - a group of top contenders that now includes Philadelphia. — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 25 July 2026

That said, there are a handful of high-end products that can’t be replicated. — Kyra Surgent, InStyle, 25 July 2026

The agreement is also a sign that massive AI infrastructure buildouts are moving beyond a handful of hyperscalers, with foreign governments and massive conglomerates starting to get involved. — Kif Leswing, CNBC, 25 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