manhandle

verb

man·​han·​dle ˈman-ˌhan-dᵊl How to pronounce manhandle (audio)
manhandled; manhandling; manhandles

transitive verb

1
: to handle roughly
2
: to move or manage by human force
manhandled the posts into place

Examples of manhandle in a Sentence

They manhandled the heavy boxes onto the truck. She manhandled the posts into place. He was manhandling the boy. He says he was manhandled by the police.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Workers described incidents of verbal and physical abuse, including reports from women workers who said they had been manhandled and subjected to obscene remarks and threats. Mayu Saini, Sourcing Journal, 2 Oct. 2025 Vancouver completely manhandled a similarly representative Flames lineup, ultimately winning 8-1. Thomas Drance, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025 Arizona State’s defensive front seven manhandled TCU’s offensive line, and the running backs aren’t good enough to create their own yardage. Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Sep. 2025 But even with Mizzou being able to do what it’s been doing — manhandling the trenches and milking the clock — the results were somewhat spoiled. Quentin Corpuel, Kansas City Star, 21 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for manhandle

Word History

First Known Use

1851, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of manhandle was in 1851

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Manhandle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/manhandle. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

manhandle

verb
man·​han·​dle ˈman-ˌhan-dᵊl How to pronounce manhandle (audio)
1
: to handle roughly
2
: to move or manage by human force

More from Merriam-Webster on manhandle

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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