handyman

noun

handy·man | \ ˈhan-dē-ˌman

How to pronounce handyman (audio)

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Definition of handyman

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

Synonyms Example Sentences Learn More about handyman

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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 One of those power users is Ryan Costello of Kailua Kona, Hawaii, a former handyman who has made the car rental business his full-time job. — Chris Isidore, CNN, "Rental car shortage is a boon for Turo, the Airbnb of cars," 29 Mar. 2021 The killings claimed the lives of four women born in Korea, two from China, a mother getting a massage with her husband and a handyman originally from Detroit. — Jaewon Kang, WSJ, "For Atlanta Shooting Victims, American Life Was Often a Lonely Struggle," 28 Mar. 2021 Farr, who was Baskin’s former handyman at the time, allegedly brought home a large freezer with a padlock around the same time Lewis went missing. — Antonio Ferme, chicagotribune.com, "‘Tiger King’ one year later: What’s the latest on Joe Exotic and Carole Baskin?," 21 Mar. 2021 Michels, a handyman at Young’s Asian Massage, was an Army veteran, family members told news outlets. — Washington Post, "Atlanta spa shooting victims highlight struggles for Asian and Asian American immigrant women in low-wage jobs," 20 Mar. 2021 Cannon, who retired in 1984, was a talented handyman and cook known for smoking a turkey every Thanksgiving. — David Chanen, Star Tribune, "Al Cannon, pioneering Black teacher at Roosevelt High in Minneapolis, dies at 91," 3 Nov. 2020 Officers arrested a Brooklyn handyman for killing three elderly neighbors on separate occasions from 2015 to 2021 inside the same New York City Housing Authority apartment building, New York Police Department officials said Thursday. — Ben Chapman, WSJ, "Brooklyn Handyman Accused of Three Separate Killings in Same Apartment Complex," 21 Jan. 2021 Two years ago, there was a rare fatality: a Montgomery city police dog killed a handyman. — Ashley Remkus | Aremkus@al.com, al, "An ugly secret in Alabama: Police dog attacks," 13 Oct. 2020 Floristella’s housekeeper and his handyman race from next door to restrain Floristella, who flings away his stick and launches himself at Pianon, bearing the other man to the ground with his greater weight and trying to throttle him. — Andrea Lee, The New Yorker, "The Rivals," 28 Dec. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'handyman.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

12 Apr 2021

Cite this Entry

“Handyman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/handyman. Accessed 17 Apr. 2021.

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More Definitions for handyman

handyman

noun

English Language Learners Definition of handyman

: a person (especially a man) who is skillful at doing small jobs (such as household repairs)

See the full definition for handyman in the English Language Learners Dictionary

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