hand 1 of 2

noun

ˈhand How to pronounce hand (audio)
Definition of handnext
1
as in side
a certain way in which something appears or may be regarded on the one hand, you would have more storage space in a larger house, but on the other, you would have more rooms to heat

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2
as in flank
a place, space, or direction away from or beyond a central point or line tall buildings rose on either hand nothing but wide open space on either hand

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3
as in needle
an arrow-shaped piece on a dial or scale for registering information both hands of the clock pointed to 12

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4
as in employee
one who works for another for wages or a salary the restaurant always hires several more hands for the busy summer season

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5
as in handwriting
the form or style of a particular person's writing writes with a flowing, old-fashioned hand

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6
as in control
usually hands plural the ability to direct the course of something the final decision is in your hands

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7
as in possession
hands plural the fact or state of having (something) at one's disposal I'd like to get my hands on that vintage Cadillac convertible

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8
as in assistance
an act or instance of helping the downstairs tenant gave us a hand getting the heavy dresser up the stairs

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9
as in expert
a person with a high level of knowledge or skill in a field once she got her own place, the young woman showed that she was quite a hand at interior decoration

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10
as in signature
a person's name written in their own handwriting often given to indicate awareness or consent the subpoena required a lawyer's hand

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hand

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to provide
to put (something) into the possession of someone for use or consumption was happy to hand her grandmother's cookie recipes to the parish ladies to put in their cookbook

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2
as in to pass
to shift possession of (something) from one person to another the clerk handed her the receipt

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3
as in to leave
to put (something) into the possession or safekeeping of another handed me her bundles while she fished for her house keys

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of hand
Noun
A week after the big score, Chetal's parents were driving in Danbury, Connecticut, when several masked men cut them off, forced them out of their new car, beat Chetal's father with a baseball bat, shoved the couple into a van and bound their hands. — ABC News, 7 Sep. 2026 Justin Herbert played much of last season with a broken left hand. — Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 2026
Verb
Justin, engaged to singer Madison Beer, plans to move out and hand his room to Patrick. — Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 2026 In the dominant 56-7 win over FCS opponent Lafayette College, new head coach Jason Candle and his staff was able to see two different quarterbacks throw to 13 different receivers and hand the ball off to five different running backs. — Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 6 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hand
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hand
  1. side
  2. needle
  3. employee
  4. handwriting
  5. control
  6. possession
  7. assistance
  8. expert
Noun
  • Some China watchers, however, are keeping their expectations low, as both sides appear to be more interested in avoiding moves that would risk their current trade truce.
    — Justina Lee, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2026
  • This bra uses flexible jelly support for shaping and providing a natural-looking boost, while higher side bands offer more coverage around the underarms and back.
    — Jeaneen Russell, PEOPLE, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of side
Noun
  • The population of right-handed centres who could be available and move the needle as outscorers is very small.
    — Allan Mitchell, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • The robot must then navigate through dense crops, avoid branches and leaves, and locate the needle-sized stigma with enough precision to complete pollination.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of needle
Noun
  • The first phase is expected to be completed in 2029 and will bring together at least 3,000 employees.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Rudin had stepped away from producing in 2021, after a Hollywood Reporter story detailed multiple claims from Rudin’s former employees of bullying and verbal abuse as well as throwing objects at staff.
    — Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of employee
Noun
  • Decades later, Denise Epstein opened a leather case of her mother’s and discovered a manuscript set forth in tiny handwriting.
    — David Denby, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The sticker will feature a butterfly — an image that Parton had long used in her logos — with the singer’s first name in her handwriting in the middle, all in Tennessee orange and white.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of handwriting
Noun
  • These trajectories document a robot’s behavior before an intervention, the moment a human operator takes control, and the corrective actions used to recover or complete the task.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Having control over a venue allows stadiums to be designed specifically with a women’s sports fan in mind, which can be critical to gameday experience.
    — Melanie Anzidei, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of control
Noun
  • Western Michigan won the rushing battle and dominated time of possession, controlling the ball for more than 40 minutes.
    — Austin Meek, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Mensah capped that drive with a 23-yard touchdown pass to Toney and the two connected on a 2-yard score on the next possession with Toney punctuating both TDs with a Heisman pose for the Hurricanes fans in that corner of the stadium.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of possession
Noun
  • Industries such as healthcare and social assistance (+28,400) continued to add jobs while local government education (+41,900 jobs) reversed a large loss from July (-57,500).
    — Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2026
  • In mid-2025, for example, Congress clawed back nearly $8 billion in foreign assistance funds.
    — Anna Nelson, Foreign Affairs, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of assistance
Noun
  • The high number is likely boosted by unusually warm water and the presence of an El Niño weather phenomenon with potentially historic rain for California, experts have said.
    — Dennis Romero, NBC news, 6 Sep. 2026
  • The page says the funds will be used only for legal expenses, including filings, transcripts, investigators and experts.
    — Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of expert

Phrases Containing hand

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hamstrung
hand
handbag
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Cite this Entry

“Hand.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hand. Accessed 9 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on hand

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about hand

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