handful

noun

hand·​ful ˈhan(d)-ˌfu̇l 

plural handfuls ˈhan(d)-ˌfu̇lz  also handsful ˈhan(d)z-ˌfu̇l 

1

: as much or as many as the hand will grasp

2

: a small quantity or number

a handful of people

3

: as much as one can manage

the kids are quite a handful

Synonyms

• few
• couple

Examples of handful in a Sentence

The children collected seashells by the handful.

Our dog is a real handful.

Recent Examples on the Web

Snag them on sale in a handful of colors, including classics like black and navy. —Ali Faccenda, PEOPLE, 5 Oct. 2025

Visitors can choose from a handful of tour options. —Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 5 Oct. 2025

While the pair is a near identical carry over from the store’s ’17 Air Max 97 project, the Air Max 95 features a small handful of differences. —Riley Jones, Footwear News, 4 Oct. 2025

Along with a handful of other actors, Alaskey enjoyed stints voicing iconic characters like Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Sylvester, and Tweety Bird, among others. —Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for handful

• brimful
• mouthful
• roomful
• spoonful
• full
• pull
• wool

Kids Definition

handful

noun

hand·​ful ˈhan(d)-ˌfu̇l 

plural handfuls -ˌfu̇lz  also handsful ˈhan(d)z-ˌfu̇l 

1

: as much or as many as the hand will grasp

a handful of jelly beans

2

: a small quantity or number

a handful of people

3

: as much as one can control or manage

the three babies are quite a handful