handyman

noun

handy·​man ˈhan-dē-ˌman 

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 of handyman

• doctor
• 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

Gales, who was homeless and worked for the family as a handyman, was the other suspect. —Charlotte Observer, 24 Feb. 2026

Casey Affleck stars as Lee Chandler, a handyman going through the motions of living until the death of his brother. —Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 22 Feb. 2026

Elizabeth Smart’s infamous 2002 kidnapping in Utah was carried out by a man later identified as a handyman who had previously worked at the family’s home. —Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026

Her husband, Jim, gave up on his fledgling handyman business and started looking for a job with insurance coverage. —Renuka Rayasam, Miami Herald, 2 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1742, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing handyman

• handyman's special

Rhymes for handyman

• businessman
• canavan
• caravan
• constantan
• dragoman
• fisherman
• harmattan
• journeyman
• marianne
• middleman
• minivan
• minuteman

Kids Definition

handyman

noun

handy·​man -ˌman 

: a person who does various small jobs