manhandle
verb
man·han·dle
ˈman-ˌhan-dᵊl 
manhandled; manhandling; manhandles
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
Nevertheless, Smith, 27, still had the last laugh courtesy of a 25th-minute strike on the half-volley made all the more impressive by how Matt Clarke was attempting to manhandle the forward to the ground as the cross from the equally lively Nathan Broadhead came in.
—
Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2026
Before his team manhandled Miami, Vrabel gave voice to this during a pregame radio interview when answering if the Patriots might rest starters in order to preserve their health for the playoffs.
—Andrew Callahan, Hartford Courant, 5 Jan. 2026
Coogan’s improbable honor was a beautiful bit of symbolism that recognized the manner in which these hard-nosed Hoosiers physically manhandled the Crimson Tide to reach the College Football Playoff semifinals with their 38-3 victory Thursday.
—Greg Beacham, Chicago Tribune, 2 Jan. 2026
The defensive interior was manhandled for most of the season, and in each of their three regular-season losses, the Trojans were trampled on the ground.
—Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 1 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for manhandle
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.
Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2026
Before his team manhandled Miami, Vrabel gave voice to this during a pregame radio interview when answering if the Patriots might rest starters in order to preserve their health for the playoffs.
—Andrew Callahan, Hartford Courant, 5 Jan. 2026
Coogan’s improbable honor was a beautiful bit of symbolism that recognized the manner in which these hard-nosed Hoosiers physically manhandled the Crimson Tide to reach the College Football Playoff semifinals with their 38-3 victory Thursday.
—Greg Beacham, Chicago Tribune, 2 Jan. 2026
The defensive interior was manhandled for most of the season, and in each of their three regular-season losses, the Trojans were trampled on the ground.
—Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 1 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for manhandle
Cite this Entry
“Manhandle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/manhandle. Accessed 9 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
manhandle
verb
man·han·dle
ˈman-ˌhan-dᵊl
1
: to handle roughly
2
: to move or manage by human force
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share