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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 12 Feb. 2026
The state has refused to hand over voter rolls that the Justice Department tried to grab as a condition of a pullout.
—David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 12 Feb. 2026
Michael Kaplan, CBS News, 3 Feb. 2026
Hoffmann will continue overseeing the finance organization until Sluis onboards to ensure an easy handover.
—Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hand over
Verb
The ski patrol handed over lifesaving duties to the Truckee Fire Department, according to the Sun.
—Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 12 Feb. 2026
The state has refused to hand over voter rolls that the Justice Department tried to grab as a condition of a pullout.
—David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 12 Feb. 2026
Noun
The handover of the complaint comes one day after public news reports revealed its existence, first detailed by The Wall Street Journal.
—Michael Kaplan, CBS News, 3 Feb. 2026
Hoffmann will continue overseeing the finance organization until Sluis onboards to ensure an easy handover.
—Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hand over
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hand over
Verb
-
His father refused to relinquish his grudge, as Dreher saw it, and his mother always went along with her husband.—
Robert F. Worth,
The Atlantic,
13 Feb. 2026
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Notable sellers include Bruce Springsteen, who in 2021 made a deal with Sony Music Entertainment to relinquish his master recordings and songs for $500 million.—
Malia Mendez,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Hospitals are so poorly equipped that patients are asked to provide supplies needed for their care, from syringes to surgical screws.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
14 Feb. 2026
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This satellite will provide broadband internet and communications capability for public use facilities in Indonesia’s rural regions.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Dad hands me the paper, the certificate of ownership from the National Archives.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Feb. 2026
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North Carolina regulators this week blocked Carolina Water Service from imposing a temporary rate increase, handing a short-term victory to thousands of homeowners already fighting a broader, long-term hike.—
Nora O'Neill,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The surrender of Bo Nagar, a leader of the Burma National Revolutionary Army or BNRA, in the upper-central region of Sagaing was a dramatic reminder of fractures within the armed resistance movement, which has led to sporadic clashes over control of territory and administrative disputes.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
19 Feb. 2026
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Where analysts differ is on what those changes ultimately represent — whether a pragmatic path toward recovery, an incomplete liberalization constrained by PDVSA’s institutional decay, or a historic surrender of oil sovereignty under foreign oversight.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Beer that turned green − possibly a chemical reaction with the drugs Dominque Pelicot had been slipping into her drinks and food to render her unconscious for the rapes.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
18 Feb. 2026
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However, last week the environmental groups submitted filings that requested the panel conduct oral arguments before rendering a decision.—
Rob Nikolewski,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The 31-year-old right-hander is being given an opportunity to make the starting rotation, one of a group of what is likely five pitchers vying for what is almost certainly one available spot at the start of the season.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 Feb. 2026
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And there are likely more revelations and resignations to come, given the millions of documents spanning many years in the files released.—
Matt Egan,
CNN Money,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The newest Chinese subs are not believed to be as quiet as US ones, leaving the stealth advantage to the US Navy.—
Brad Lendon,
CNN Money,
17 Feb. 2026
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Homan said that immigration operations will continue even as additional agents leave the state.—
Conor Wight,
CBS News,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
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To ensure the fairness and credibility of our readers’ poll, any votes originating from the same IP address that exceed 20 submissions will be excluded from the final tally.—
Baltimore Sun staff,
Baltimore Sun,
16 Feb. 2026
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Like wrestling, jiujitsu emphasizes takedowns, control and submission holds instead of punches or kicks.—
Patrick Z. McGavin,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hand over.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hand%20over. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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