Synonyms of hands

hands 1 of 2

noun

plural of hand

1

as in control

the ability to direct the course of something

the final decision is in your hands

Synonyms & Similar Words

• control
• grasp
• arm
• direction
• power
• authority
• management
• grip
• government
• administration
• operation
• supervision
• guidance
• hold
• clutch
• jurisdiction
• command
• helm
• mastery
• dominion
• running
• regulation
• domination
• might
• sway
• governance
• oversight
• superintendence

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• weakness
• helplessness
• powerlessness
• impotence
• impotency

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

• enjoyment
• control
• possession
• keeping
• ownership
• power
• dominion
• proprietorship
• mastery
• retention
• confiscation
• command
• claiming
• procurement
• authority
• repossession
• commandeering
• collaring

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• relinquishment
• surrendering
• dispossession
• nonpossession
• transferal

hands

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of hand

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

• provides
• supplies
• gives
• feeds
• furnishes
• delivers
• distributes
• hands over
• portions
• dispenses
• deals (out)
• transfers
• plies (with)
• apportions
• administers
• doles out
• allocates
• deeds
• parcels (out)
• assigns
• metes (out)
• prorates
• cedes
• makes over

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• holds (back)
• keeps (back)
• retains
• reserves
• maintains
• saves
• withholds
• preserves
• conserves
• keeps up

2

as in passes

to shift possession of (something) from one person to another

the clerk handed her the receipt

Synonyms & Similar Words

• passes
• reaches
• transfers
• fingers
• gives
• hands over
• bucks
• carries
• paws
• handles
• relays
• renders
• yields
• delivers
• releases
• bears
• gives up
• surrenders
• relinquishes
• turns over
• cedes

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

• leaves
• transfers
• delegates
• gives
• entrusts
• passes
• delivers
• relinquishes
• trusts
• reposes
• vests
• grants
• turns over
• recommends
• loans
• commends
• confides
• hands over
• commits
• transmits
• consigns
• gives over
• lends
• submits
• supplies
• distributes
• bequeaths
• deals (out)
• assigns
• confers
• divides
• wills
• dispenses
• turns in
• hands in
• surrenders
• yields
• releases
• furnishes
• advances
• hands down
• hands on
• disperses
• redelivers
• retransfers
• recommits
• retransmits

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• holds
• keeps
• retains
• owns
• reserves
• possesses
• receives
• takes
• holds back
• accepts
• withholds
• takes in
• occupies
• detains
• takes over

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of hands

Noun

McNeeley had the ball in his hands a lot, and that was by design. — Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 18 July 2026

And in the coming years, humanoid robots with dexterous hands will automate the other parts of lab work, such as handling mice, or slicing thin layers of tissue. — Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 17 July 2026

An employee served plantains, a ready-to-eat item, with bare hands. — David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 17 July 2026

Basic food safety, like washing produce and hands, is crucial. — Matthew Binnicker, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026

By Anthropic’s own account, the same models that can predict how a gene-therapy virus behaves could, in the wrong hands, help design a dangerous disease. — Jesse Rothman, Boston Herald, 17 July 2026

His hands are in his lap, one wrist clasped almost self-consciously. — Literary Hub, 17 July 2026

Gelman plays Ned Parker, an eccentric investor from Milwaukee eager to take the mini golf course Joe inherited off his hands. — Peter White, Deadline, 17 July 2026

Imagine how that comes across to a president who wouldn’t admit to climate change if his putter melted in his hands or Mar-a-Lago became a swim-up hotel. — Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2026

Verb

So anyone who hands you a single, clean AI visibility score with no caveat is selling you a snapshot of noise. — Meghna Deshraj, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026

For my own hat, Adams hands the shaping over to Ryan McBride, a fellow manager who has worked alongside him for most of Adam's tenure. — Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 July 2026

Suffering from a broken rib and sinus infection, Remco Evenepoel hands his bidon to a child on the roadside and dismounts his bike. — Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 2 July 2026

Someone hands a couple team members a trophy—somehow larger than their ribs trophy. — Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 July 2026

Sincere meekly hands her a flower from his pocket and sits down, appearing penitent. — Kathleen Walsh, Vulture, 29 June 2026

Imagine sinking deep into a warm, leather couch as someone hands you a hazelnut latte in a Brooklyn coffee-shop-cum-listening lounge. — Irene Richardson, InStyle, 29 June 2026

When a citizen files a police report and shares it with Gabriel, the company hands the victim relevant footage with faces blurred. — Harry Booth, Time, 26 June 2026

Supreme Court hands Trump a border victory liberals can't spin. — FOXNews.com, 26 June 2026

Phrases Containing hands

• hands down
• laying on of hands
• on all hands
• wash one's hands of