hands-on

adjective

ˈhan(d)z-ˈȯn 

-ˈän

1

: relating to, being, or providing direct practical experience in the operation or functioning of something

hands-on training

also : involving or allowing use of or touching with the hands

a hands-on museum display

2

: characterized by active personal involvement

a hands-on manager

Examples of hands-on in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Southern Living readers applaud this recipe for its simple, easy-to-find ingredients (most should be in your pantry), and the 30 minutes of hands-on time that is required to pull this together. —Nellah Bailey McGough, Southern Living, 3 Jan. 2026

Sign up to The Selection newsletter for hands-on product reviews, expert shopping tips and a look at the best deals and sales each week. —Kayla Hayempour, NBC news, 2 Jan. 2026

The program emphasizes hands-on development, deployment, and maintenance of AI systems. —Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 2 Jan. 2026

While Abel is viewed as more hands-on than Buffett, experts say he's not expected to initiate any major shake-ups at the decades-old company. —Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 2 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1905, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for hands-on

• anton
• argon
• axon
• baronne
• baryon
• baton
• boron
• buisson
• bygone
• capon
• cardon
• chiffon