hand-fed ˈhan(d)-ˈfed How to pronounce hand-feed (audio) ; hand-feeding

transitive verb

: to feed by hand
He does not just hunt sharks, he hand-feeds them live salmon from a submerged cage.Rick Reilly

Examples of hand-feed in a Sentence

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.
Nini might have died too if he hadn’t been caged and hand-fed. Tao Lin, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025 Meanwhile, Ali Baba’s Farm offers a hands-on experience—where little ones can hand-feed fluffy goats and cuddle baby bunnies beneath shady olive trees. Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2025 They were captured by Capt. Cyrus Alvah Eastman, who hand-fed the sea lions fish throughout their weeklong train journey to Chicago. Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 25 July 2025 Animal encounters allow a more up-close look at some of your favorite critters, such as hand-feeding a bison or touching a rhino. Katie Wiseman, IndyStar, 10 July 2025 As outlined in the Shark Reef Marine Reserve fact sheet, during dive experiences here, visitors can crouch behind a small wall while sharks are hand-fed or given tuna heads dropped from a plastic bin. Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 4 June 2025 There are unique adventures that include painting alongside a sea lion, swimming with dolphins, and hand-feeding giant tarpon. Angela Caraway-Carlton, Miami Herald, 20 May 2025 The Bronx Zoo ornithologists pioneered the technique over 40 years ago, using a similar mechanism to hand-feed Andean condor chicks in 1981. Moná Thomas, People.com, 1 May 2025 The puppies went to one foster home, where they were hand-fed every few hours. Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1794, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hand-feed was in 1794

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Cite this Entry

“Hand-feed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hand-feed. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

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