fall into the wrong hands
idiom
: to come to be held or possessed by the wrong person or group
There could be a disaster if the weapons fall into the wrong hands.
Examples of fall into the wrong hands in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Some are concerned that if a lot of people at a company have access to the details of their invention idea, the details could fall into the wrong hands.
—
Jon Stojan, USA TODAY, 16 June 2023
If a camera is pointed inside your bathroom or children’s bedroom, however, that footage could fall into the wrong hands and be posted or traded online, or even used for blackmail.
—Heather Kelly, Anchorage Daily News, 13 June 2023
In those cases, there may be copies saved of fingerprints and face scans that can fall into the wrong hands.
—Shira Ovide, Washington Post, 17 Jan. 2023
The Biden administration has been circumspect from the start, sending weapons in fits and starts and only providing more advanced capabilities such as Himars after weeks or months of careful consideration, fearing escalation or that equipment could fall into the wrong hands.
—Marcus Walker, WSJ, 23 Aug. 2022
There’s always the risk that these highly advanced tools fall into the wrong hands; the future is both frightening and exciting.
—Stav Dimitropoulos, Popular Mechanics, 12 May 2022
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Jon Stojan, USA TODAY, 16 June 2023
If a camera is pointed inside your bathroom or children’s bedroom, however, that footage could fall into the wrong hands and be posted or traded online, or even used for blackmail.
—Heather Kelly, Anchorage Daily News, 13 June 2023
In those cases, there may be copies saved of fingerprints and face scans that can fall into the wrong hands.
—Shira Ovide, Washington Post, 17 Jan. 2023
The Biden administration has been circumspect from the start, sending weapons in fits and starts and only providing more advanced capabilities such as Himars after weeks or months of careful consideration, fearing escalation or that equipment could fall into the wrong hands.
—Marcus Walker, WSJ, 23 Aug. 2022
There’s always the risk that these highly advanced tools fall into the wrong hands; the future is both frightening and exciting.
—Stav Dimitropoulos, Popular Mechanics, 12 May 2022
Cite this Entry
“Fall into the wrong hands.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fall%20into%20the%20wrong%20hands. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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