handshake

noun

hand·​shake ˈhan(d)-ˌshāk 

: 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

Union stalwarts representing steelworkers, utility workers, construction workers and others greeted the 73-year-old Democrat with resounding cheers and endless handshakes. — Andrea Hsu, NPR, 2 Oct. 2026

The Irish players wore black armbands and refrained from handshakes with their opponents. — ABC News, 27 Sep. 2026

Hydra Head Records may have been built on handshakes, artistic freedom and a healthy disregard for conventional genre boundaries, but keeping the thing running was considerably messier. — Spin Staff, SPIN, 18 Sep. 2026

They were rewarded by Kardashian’s arrival, clad in a formfitting tan midi dress with lace-up grommet detailing, triggering a storm of flashes and handshakes. — Mary Wenthur, Footwear News, 18 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1802, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing handshake

• golden handshake

Rhymes for handshake

• awake
• backache
• beefsteak
• betake
• cheesecake
• cupcake
• daybreak
• earthquake
• forsake
• gouache
• headache
• heartache

Kids Definition

handshake

noun

hand·​shake -ˌshāk 

: a clasping of hands by two people especially in greeting or farewell