1
as in to relinquish
to give (something) over to the control or possession of another usually under duress
the police officer ordered the suspect to hand over his weapons
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2
as in to provide
to put (something) into the possession of someone for use or consumption
in response to a desperate plea, we handed over all our extra blankets and pillows to the homeless shelter
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3
as in to hand
to put (something) into the possession or safekeeping of another
handed over their valuables to the desk clerk, who put them in the hotel safe
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as in surrender
the usually forced yielding of one's person or possessions to the control of another
though the handover of my wallet was painful, it was better than getting shot by some trigger-happy punk
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hand over
Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 18 Sep. 2025
Arad is an Israeli Air Force weapon systems officer who went missing in action in 1986 in Lebanon and who is believed to have been captured by the military group Amal and later handed over to Hezbollah.
—Abeer Salman, CNN Money, 18 Sep. 2025
Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 10 Sep. 2025
The transition is unlikely to be a sudden handover.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 10 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hand over
Verb
As the visiting Minnesota Lynx celebrated a comeback victory for the ages to advance to the playoff semifinals, the Italian sharpshooter lay on the ground with her hands over her head – deflated, defeated and in shock that the Valkyries’ season ended right then and there.
—Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 18 Sep. 2025
Arad is an Israeli Air Force weapon systems officer who went missing in action in 1986 in Lebanon and who is believed to have been captured by the military group Amal and later handed over to Hezbollah.
—Abeer Salman, CNN Money, 18 Sep. 2025
Noun
The formal handover of power between Bayrou and Lecornu is due to take place on Wednesday at midday local time.
—Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 10 Sep. 2025
The transition is unlikely to be a sudden handover.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 10 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hand over
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hand over
Verb
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In the latest demands of Intel, the government willingly relinquished the ability to exert control, despite being the largest holder of Intel’s shares.—
Andrew King,
Fortune,
20 Sep. 2025
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At first glance, Beijing’s willingness to play ball on TikTok looks like a sharp reversal from its years of resistance to relinquishing control over the viral video app – the first global social media hit to come out of China.—
Simone McCarthy,
CNN Money,
20 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The Super Bowl Halftime Show typically draws over 100 million viewers, providing unprecedented global exposure for artists and their cultural impact.—
Adeola Adeosun,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Sep. 2025
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However, many plant protein powders combine different sources to provide all essential amino acids, including leucine.—
Merve Ceylan,
Health,
28 Sep. 2025
Verb
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But around five years ago, life handed him a raw deal.—
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez,
Fortune,
27 Sep. 2025
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Thirty years after handing Florida State’s dynasty its first ACC defeat, was Virginia going to incite another Scott Stadium party?—
David Teel,
Miami Herald,
27 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Shortly after Japan’s surrender, US and Soviet officials agreed to establish two military occupation zones, one in the South run by the Americans and the other in the North directed by the Russians.—
Kornel Chang
September 19,
Literary Hub,
19 Sep. 2025
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From 2018 through 2023, the Humane Society reduced or waived about $800,000 in surrender and reclaim fees, about $200,000 per year, the report said.—
Karen Kucher,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In early January 2025, the Bureau of Land Management website explained the communities are in an area that climate change is rendering uninhabitable, mentioning climate eight times.—
Dinah Voyles Pulver,
USA Today,
24 Sep. 2025
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Miu Miu leaned into tradition, rendering argyle in a restrained palette that nodded to its country club roots.—
Minty Mellon,
Vogue,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Winged munition autonomously detects moving targets Raytheon also highlighted that the StormBreaker smart weapon gives operators an upper hand in combat by hitting moving targets in some of the worst weather conditions.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Sep. 2025
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Officials did not give any details on the man’s medical condition.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Bailey argued that the district’s dispute with local police departments over its requirement that officers participate in diversity training — an impasse that resulted in some departments leaving schools without resource officers — had left students vulnerable.—
Jeremy Kohler,
ProPublica,
24 Sep. 2025
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The best clarifying shampoo can completely transform a lackluster shower routine, deep cleansing hair, exfoliating the scalp, and banishing excess oils and product buildup that leave strands flat, dull, or frizz-prone.—
Jenny Berg,
Vogue,
24 Sep. 2025
Noun
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That's because the NIH operates a system in which each grant submission gets a priority score after evaluation and discussion.—
John Timmer,
ArsTechnica,
25 Sep. 2025
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Tribeca Podcasts — now in its sixth year — continues to welcome audio storytellers from around the globe, but will now include audiovisual podcast submissions and a new out-of-competition category.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
25 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hand over.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hand%20over. Accessed 29 Sep. 2025.
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