handling

noun

han·​dling ˈhan-dᵊl-iŋ 

ˈhan(d)-liŋ

1

a

: the action of one that handles something

b

: a process by which something is handled in a commercial transaction

especially : the packaging and shipping of an object or material (as to a consumer)

2

: the manner in which something is treated (as in a musical, literary, or art work)

Synonyms of handling

• management
• operation
• control
• administration
• supervision
• stewardship
• oversight
• direction
• government

Examples of handling in a Sentence

These items require careful handling.

There are additional charges for shipping and handling.

The car's handling was smooth.

Recent Examples on the Web

The arrangement sidesteps efforts to tie State Farm’s rates to its handling of disaster claims. —Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2026

The fall of Noem Noem was pushed out amid mounting criticism over her leadership, including her handling of the crackdown and the aftermath of the shooting deaths of two Minneapolis residents by federal officers, Renee Good and Alex Pretti. —Steve Karnowski, Chicago Tribune, 7 Mar. 2026

But now, instead of complying like the University of Pennsylvania did last summer related to its handling of trans swimmer Lia Thomas, SJSU and CSU are suing to prevent potential federal funding cuts. —Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 7 Mar. 2026

Earlier this week, Indonesia’s Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs conducted a surprise inspection of Meta Platforms’ Jakarta office over concerns about the handling of harmful content on its platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. —ABC News, 6 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

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

Phrases Containing handling

• shipping and handling
• special handling

Rhymes for handling

• candling
• mishandling