change hands

phrase

: to pass from the possession of one owner to that of another

The property has changes hands many times.

Examples of change hands in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The sheriff's office said the dinosaur had already changed hands, however, and was with another person who apparently did not know it had been stolen. — Cecilio Padilla, CBS News, 9 Nov. 2026

The Parish Players ran it for less than a decade before the theater changed hands and was incorporated as the Stony Creek Theater. — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 8 Nov. 2026

Cerulli Associates estimates that $124 trillion will change hands through 2048, and that of the $54 trillion expected to move first between spouses, more than 95% will go to women. — Nili Sangani, Forbes.com, 5 Nov. 2026

Clearly there are plenty of people who do, and plenty of money changes hands in and around it. — Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 3 Nov. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1614, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for change hands

• borderlands
• bottomlands
• firebrands
• hinterlands
• meadowlands
• nederlands
• operands
• reprimands
• timberlands
• understands
• ands
• bands