1
as in control
the ability to direct the course of something
the final decision is in your hands
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in enjoyment
the fact or state of having (something) at one's disposal
I'd like to get my hands on that vintage Cadillac convertible
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in provides
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in passes
to shift possession of (something) from one person to another
the clerk handed her the receipt
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in leaves
to put (something) into the possession or safekeeping of another
handed me her bundles while she fished for her house keys
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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show current usage.
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Recent Examples of hands
Literary Hub, 6 Nov. 2025
What Happens Next There will likely be long delays before SNAP benefits actually make it into the hands of beneficiaries again.
—Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025
Yet with a single tap, your private data could travel halfway across the world into the hands of people who profit from selling it.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 5 Nov. 2025
Charlamagne credits his mother, who put everything from The Bible to Beverly Cleary novels in his hands as a young man in Moncks Corner, SC, while Bishop conceptualized her own stories, reimagining her life as something greater than her reality.
—Jessica Bennett, VIBE.com, 5 Nov. 2025
Use your hands to brush off or shake excess soil from the roots.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 5 Nov. 2025
News that the license would change hands came last month as part of the Gucci-parent Kering’s deal to sell its beauty business to L’Oréal.
—Footwear News, 5 Nov. 2025
Isaacman will also have his hands full keeping Musk in check.
—Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 5 Nov. 2025
Carpenter asked, as Fogelmanis smiled and held up his hands to receive the pink handcuffs.
—Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025
Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 27 Oct. 2025
Sullivan then hands Cameron his radio and tells him to take Jones to the medic truck.
—Christopher Rudolph, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025
Reichardt again hands a stable of great actors — Gaby Hoffmann, John Magaro, Bill Camp, Hope Davis — interesting supporting characters.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 24 Oct. 2025
In traditional animation, a director crafts a story at storyboard phase trying to craft their story then hands it over to animation artists.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 11 Oct. 2025
Some flights in the air were able to land, with assistance from the approach controllers that normally guide planes to the airport, but usually hands them off to the tower for landing.
—Aaron Cooper, CNN Money, 10 Oct. 2025
Humanoid robot hands What’s on your list?
—Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2025
Continue reading … COZY CONNECTIONS – Mamdani hands big check to radical group boasting about infiltrating his campaign.
—FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2025
Strong secondary Single-digit jersey numbers are so coveted that Lewis hands them out personally rather than leaving it to SDSU’s equipment manager.
—Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Sep. 2025
Noun
Its approach suggests that in the years since Ferrante first made her way into American readers’ hands, the status of feminist writing has seen a true shift.
—Literary Hub, 6 Nov. 2025
What Happens Next There will likely be long delays before SNAP benefits actually make it into the hands of beneficiaries again.
—Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025
Yet with a single tap, your private data could travel halfway across the world into the hands of people who profit from selling it.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 5 Nov. 2025
Charlamagne credits his mother, who put everything from The Bible to Beverly Cleary novels in his hands as a young man in Moncks Corner, SC, while Bishop conceptualized her own stories, reimagining her life as something greater than her reality.
—Jessica Bennett, VIBE.com, 5 Nov. 2025
Use your hands to brush off or shake excess soil from the roots.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 5 Nov. 2025
News that the license would change hands came last month as part of the Gucci-parent Kering’s deal to sell its beauty business to L’Oréal.
—Footwear News, 5 Nov. 2025
Isaacman will also have his hands full keeping Musk in check.
—Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 5 Nov. 2025
Carpenter asked, as Fogelmanis smiled and held up his hands to receive the pink handcuffs.
—Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025
Verb
He is whisked away from a charity basketball event to his Air Force One, where Lieutenant Commander Robert Reeves (Jonah Hauer-King) hands him the Black Bag and instructs him to choose which retaliatory strike option to approve.
—Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 27 Oct. 2025
Sullivan then hands Cameron his radio and tells him to take Jones to the medic truck.
—Christopher Rudolph, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025
Reichardt again hands a stable of great actors — Gaby Hoffmann, John Magaro, Bill Camp, Hope Davis — interesting supporting characters.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 24 Oct. 2025
In traditional animation, a director crafts a story at storyboard phase trying to craft their story then hands it over to animation artists.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 11 Oct. 2025
Some flights in the air were able to land, with assistance from the approach controllers that normally guide planes to the airport, but usually hands them off to the tower for landing.
—Aaron Cooper, CNN Money, 10 Oct. 2025
Humanoid robot hands What’s on your list?
—Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2025
Continue reading … COZY CONNECTIONS – Mamdani hands big check to radical group boasting about infiltrating his campaign.
—FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2025
Strong secondary Single-digit jersey numbers are so coveted that Lewis hands them out personally rather than leaving it to SDSU’s equipment manager.
—Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hands
Noun
-
The scale of the Republican Party's triumph in 2024—taking the White House, flipping the Senate and maintaining control of the House—has sparked soul-searching within the Democratic Party over what went wrong, how to rebuild, and party leadership and direction.—
Mandy Taheri,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
-
The Philippines is one of Asia’s most flood-prone countries but this year it has also been mired in a massive corruption scandal involving flood control projects that have brought thousands of protesters out onto the streets.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Moviegoers' comic enjoyment was so prominent that at one point, a foul-mouthed viewer yelled for everyone to shut up.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
31 Oct. 2025
-
In almost every case, those who took photos reported greater levels of enjoyment.—
Jack Beresford,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
If Young ever offers a provocative pregame quote that provides a soundbite for the opposing locker room, a roomful of reporters will collapse in surprise on the spot.—
Scott Fowler,
Charlotte Observer,
7 Jan. 2026
-
The company now provides hydro jetting, sewer repair and replacement, trenchless repairs, water damage cleanup services, and water filtration and softening systems.—
Alexander Coolidge,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The play had Gwath inbounding on the far sideline to BJ Davis, who passes to Miles Byrd at the top of the key.—
Mark Zeigler,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Jan. 2026
-
The morning drive host on 680 The Fan caught passes from Ryan for three years.—
Tyler Estep,
AJC.com,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Back in 1962, Lilly leaves Juniper Hill with a higher dose of medication, which seems like the best-case scenario given the threat of lobotomy in the show’s opening titles.—
Louis Peitzman,
Vulture,
10 Nov. 2025
-
The key is to fold the scarf over itself to create volume and to look for a lace trim that leaves the hem frayed, so as not to look too formal.—
Arancha Gamo,
Glamour,
9 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
On a third-and-4 from the 50-yard line with just under nine minutes left, Jackson avoided the grasp of pass rushers Alex Highsmith and Keeanu Benton, reset and floated a pass to Zay Flowers behind the secondary to give the Ravens a 17-13 lead.—
Jeff Zrebiec,
New York Times,
5 Jan. 2026
-
His service at the Dicastery indicated a grasp of Vatican bureaucracy and reflected the trust Francis had placed in him.—
Paul Elie,
New Yorker,
5 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Zubimendi won possession 12 times during that match — the most by any Arsenal player in a game this season.—
Thom Harris,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Troopers also seized an unregistered gun and ammunition from Cook, who is charged with trafficking 200 grams or more of cocaine, as well as unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition.—
Tim Dunn,
Boston Herald,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Venezuela supplies Cuba with oil, with around 30,000 barrels arriving in Cuba every day.—
Phil Helsel,
NBC news,
4 Jan. 2026
-
Frozen orange juice concentrate supplies a solid dose of vitamin C, about 380 milligrams in one cup, which supports muscle repair and recovery, Pasquariello says.—
Ashia Aubourg,
Outside,
3 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hands.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hands. Accessed 8 Jan. 2026.
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