handy

adjective

ˈhan-dē 

handier; handiest

1

a

: conveniently near

keeps his dictionary handy

b

: convenient for use

a handy little tool

The extra batteries came in handy during the blackout.

c

of a ship : easily handled

2

: clever in using the hands especially in a variety of useful ways

handy with a hammer as well as with a paintbrush

handiness noun

Synonyms of handy

• convenient
• accessible

Examples of handy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

That’s where using a sulfate-free shampoo comes in handy and might be the better choice. — Audrey Noble, Vogue, 27 Aug. 2026

Keep the rain gear handy on Thursday as South Florida will once again face threats of seeing passing showers and thunderstorms during the day. — Lissette Gonzalez, CBS News, 27 Aug. 2026

That’s where the midcentury-esque Lakin table should come in handy, expanding up to 74 inches in length to fit spaces of all sizes. — Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 26 Aug. 2026

Jonathan Sorce, a physicist at Princeton University, says that Hilbert space is a handy mathematical construction that is remarkably useful for describing many quantum systems — but not all of them. — Quanta Magazine, 26 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1525, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing handy

• come in handy
• handy-dandy
• handy for

Rhymes for handy

• bandy
• brandy
• candy
• dandy
• grandee
• randy
• shandy

Kids Definition

handy

adjective

ˈhan-dē 

handier; handiest

1

a

: conveniently near

b

: easily handled or used

a handy sloop

a handy reference book

2

: clever in using the hands : dexterous

handy with a needle

Biographical Definition

Handy

biographical name

Han·​dy ˈhan-dē 

W(illiam) C(hristopher) 1873–1958 American blues musician