hand-to-hand

1 of 2

adjective

: involving physical contact or close enough range for physical contact
hand-to-hand fighting

hand to hand

2 of 2

adverb

: at very close range

Examples of hand-to-hand 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.
Adjective
One standout sequence features a slippery hand-to-hand combat scene among wriggling eels. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 24 Apr. 2025 The wide shots of Tommy stepping onto the main street of Jackson, burning in the snow, are a riot of gore and desperate hand-to-hand action that neither our focus character nor any but the most dedicated rewatch viewers will fully catch. Rafael Motamayor, IndieWire, 21 Apr. 2025
Adverb
In the weight room, David drops into a plank pose and moves the length of an agility ladder, hand to hand, down and back, pausing only when Will cracks a joke. Stephen J. Nesbitt, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2025 Police radio traffic indicated the gunman was at one point standing at the end of a driveway, wearing a shirt and jeans but shoeless, occasionally shifting the gun from hand to hand. Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hand-to-hand

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1833, in the meaning defined above

Adverb

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hand-to-hand was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hand-to-hand.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hand-to-hand. Accessed 4 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

hand-to-hand

adjective
ˌhan-tə-ˈhand
: involving physical contact
hand-to-hand combat

More from Merriam-Webster on hand-to-hand

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