handshake

noun

hand·​shake ˈhan(d)-ˌshāk How to pronounce handshake (audio)
: a clasping usually of right hands by two people (as in greeting or farewell)

Examples of handshake in a Sentence

She greeted him with a handshake. He has a firm handshake.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Take food dyes: Kennedy has tried to rid the food supply of most dyes through a handshake agreement with the food industry. Nicholas Florko, The Atlantic, 23 June 2025 The handshake agreement still needs final sign-off from Trump and Xi, US officials said last week, and the question of how urgently any further negotiations on a broader economic deal will take place remains unclear. Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 19 June 2025 Controversy: Aside from the usual questions about close calls, there wasn’t much aside from a weird mix-up in one of the handshake lines. Sean McIndoe, New York Times, 16 June 2025 One brave guy threaded his way across the traffic and went over and shook his hand, a handshake that caused applause from the crowd. Karen L. Rancourt, Sun Sentinel, 16 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for handshake

Word History

First Known Use

1802, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of handshake was in 1802

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Handshake.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/handshake. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

handshake

noun
hand·​shake -ˌshāk How to pronounce handshake (audio)
: a clasping of hands by two people especially in greeting or farewell

More from Merriam-Webster on handshake

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