glad-hand

1 of 2

verb

glad-handed; glad-handing; glad-hands

transitive verb

: to extend a glad hand to
candidates glad-handing everyone they meet

intransitive verb

: to extend a glad hand
glad-handing as if he were running for mayor
glad-hander noun

glad hand

2 of 2

noun

: a warm welcome or greeting often prompted by ulterior reasons

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
The sign of the title is a campaign poster for Wally O’Hara (Andy Grotelueschen) a glad-handing candidate running for local office on a reform platform against the party bosses. Peter Marks, Washington Post, 28 Feb. 2023 He’s never stopped signing autographs, making personal appearances or glad-handing sponsors, though even those responsibilities seem more uncertain under Johnson's reign. Dan Gelston, ajc, 18 Feb. 2023 He’s never stopped signing autographs, making personal appearances, or glad-handing sponsors, though even those responsibilities seem more uncertain under Johnson’s reign. Dan Gelston, BostonGlobe.com, 18 Feb. 2023 Most people pound the pavement and glad-hand for months for far less, so consider this the season’s most unlikely master class. Mikey O'connell, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Mar. 2023
Noun
Arguably the most notorious figure from the game’s most storied rivalry flew from his South Florida home to Boston for Tuesday night’s game and was expected to glad hand a few Yankees before, for many of them, the biggest game of their lives. Gabe Lacques, USA TODAY, 5 Oct. 2021 His medium, his material, is human frailty, the near end of original sin, and the tools of his trade are the glad hand, the scratched back, the padded envelope, the cut corner, and the jumped line. James Parker, The Atlantic, 5 Oct. 2017 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'glad-hand.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

1903, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Noun

circa 1895, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of glad-hand was circa 1895

Dictionary Entries Near glad-hand

glad hand

glad-hand

gladiate

Cite this Entry

“Glad-hand.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/glad-hand. Accessed 6 Jun. 2023.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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