in hand

phrase

1

: in one's possession or control

had matters well in hand

with money in hand

2

: in preparation

a new play in hand

3

: under consideration

took the matter in hand

Examples of in hand in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Some songs are difficult to follow without lyric sheets in hand, and even then, the internal logic collapses, baiting you in with coherent ideas before going in another direction. — Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 29 Oct. 2026

The agency has in hand an upper stage called the interim cryogenic propulsion stage, of ICPS, the last of three manufactured by United Launch Alliance to be used atop the Space Launch System rocket as part of the Artemis program. — Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Oct. 2026

A couple of blocks away, Luis Chavez Espinosa stood knee-deep in water in the middle of the road, phone in hand, showing the flooding to his social media followers during a livestream. — Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 27 Oct. 2026

With the Chiefs having the game in hand in the fourth quarter, offensive coordinator Matt Nagy approached head coach Andy Reid with a suggestion. — Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 23 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for in hand

• armband
• backhand
• bandstand
• baseband
• broadband
• command
• cropland
• demand
• disband
• dreamland
• expand
• farmhand