ˈhan(d)-tə-ˈhand 
ˈhan-də-
: involving physical contact or close enough range for physical contact
hand-to-hand fighting
: at very close range
Examples of hand-to-hand in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 27 June 2025
Officers witnessed Puente-Chavez transact a hand-to-hand exchange in an Orland Square parking lot prior to the stop, police said.
—Dennis Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 25 June 2025
Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 13 May 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for hand-to-hand
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
State police alleged that a hand-to-hand drug transaction was observed just before 1 p.m. Thursday on Wethersfield Avenue in Hartford.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 27 June 2025
Officers witnessed Puente-Chavez transact a hand-to-hand exchange in an Orland Square parking lot prior to the stop, police said.
—Dennis Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 25 June 2025
Adverb
As Nick begins the ceremony, the handmaids who have blades sewn into their robes surreptitiously remove them and past them, hand to hand, down the pew.
—Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 13 May 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for hand-to-hand
Cite this Entry
“Hand-to-hand.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hand-to-hand. Accessed 6 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share