handyman

noun

handy·​man ˈhan-dē-ˌman How to pronounce handyman (audio)
1
: a person who does odd jobs
2
: one competent in a variety of small skills or inventive or ingenious in repair or maintenance work

called also handyperson

Examples of handyman in a Sentence

hired a handyman to paint the porch, clean the gutters, and replace the broken window
Recent Examples on the Web Holt worked as a social studies and driver’s education teacher and in a grain mill before retiring and moving to the trailer park, where Smith hired him as a handyman and groundskeeper. Daniel Wu, Washington Post, 23 Nov. 2023 Local handyman and historian David (Webster) helps along the way, finding his own surprising connection. Rebecca Angel Baer, Southern Living, 19 Sep. 2023 After leaving the Army, his father, John, worked as a handyman. Sam Roberts, New York Times, 6 Oct. 2023 But avoid the ugly sanding marks left by your handyman by refinishing entire boards: all of the new pieces plus the old floorboards that the handyman marred. Jeanne Huber, Washington Post, 25 Aug. 2023 Ask a handyman to drill holes in the sill to let any moisture drain to the exterior of your home rather than dripping down inside the walls. Stefanie Waldek, House Beautiful, 23 Aug. 2023 In the Hulu series The Bear, the chef and restaurateur plays a lovable restaurant handyman. Ali Francis, Bon Appétit, 23 June 2023 He was named after both his father, who worked as a handyman, and paternal grandfather. Penelope Green, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2023 In tonight’s movie, an innocent run-in with a local handyman leads to a budding romance. Mike Rose, cleveland, 13 Aug. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'handyman.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1742, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of handyman was in 1742

Dictionary Entries Near handyman

Cite this Entry

“Handyman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/handyman. Accessed 2 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

handyman

noun
handy·​man -ˌman How to pronounce handyman (audio)
: a person who does various small jobs

More from Merriam-Webster on handyman

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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