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
The league spent the past year trying to get a handle on its present and future as cord-cutting has led customers to cancel cable (or never sign up) in droves, which puts acute pressure on RSNs and the pro sports franchises that rely on them for rights fees.
—
Mike Vorkunov, New York Times, 18 June 2025
Location Data One of the most difficult—and crucial—types of personal information to get a handle on is your location data.
—Andy Greenberg, Wired News, 16 June 2025
To get a handle on the needs of its biggest departments while offering full transparency the Porter County Council held a special needs assessment meeting Wednesday evening.
—Shelley Jones, Chicago Tribune, 12 June 2025
Johnson said the local government needs to step in and get a handle on the flooding situation.
—Sofi Zeman, Kansas City Star, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for get/have a handle on
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Mike Vorkunov, New York Times, 18 June 2025
Location Data One of the most difficult—and crucial—types of personal information to get a handle on is your location data.
—Andy Greenberg, Wired News, 16 June 2025
To get a handle on the needs of its biggest departments while offering full transparency the Porter County Council held a special needs assessment meeting Wednesday evening.
—Shelley Jones, Chicago Tribune, 12 June 2025
Johnson said the local government needs to step in and get a handle on the flooding situation.
—Sofi Zeman, Kansas City Star, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for get/have a handle on
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 8 Jul. 2025.
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