handshake

noun

hand·​shake ˈhan(d)-ˌshāk How to pronounce handshake (audio)
: a clasping usually of right hands by two people (as in greeting or farewell)

Examples of handshake in a Sentence

She greeted him with a handshake. He has a firm handshake.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The tense post-game meeting between them at midfield came with a limp handshake and loaded question from Carroll. Jay Paris, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025 Clapping hands was next at 64 percent, followed by the handshake at 62 percent. Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Sep. 2025 Thomas is a former NBA lottery pick and 13-year veteran and current basketball coach at a high school just up the road, Paramus Catholic, who had just shared a hearty handshake and hug with the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback. Ian O'Connor, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025 Judge Paul Hollywood has been a mainstay since the very beginning, offering his signature handshakes and sharp-eyed critiques. Jane Lacroix, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for handshake

Word History

First Known Use

1802, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of handshake was in 1802

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Handshake.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/handshake. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

handshake

noun
hand·​shake -ˌshāk How to pronounce handshake (audio)
: a clasping of hands by two people especially in greeting or farewell

More from Merriam-Webster on handshake

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