as in assistance
patient and attentive guidance encouragement, or instruction
New computer users often require a good deal of hand-holding.
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Recent Examples of hand-holding
There are no more smiles and no more hand-holding, only two sad adults.
—
Jeanne Phillips, Mercury News, 22 Jan. 2026
There’s no spoon-feeding or hand-holding.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 15 Jan. 2026
Elsewhere is Charles Ray’s Family Romance, 1993, whose hand-holding nude figures subvert any structuring of traditional family values.
—Tim Griffin, Artforum, 1 Dec. 2025
Adams views these interventions not as hand-holding, but as essential adaptations to a new workplace culture, where transparency, constant feedback, and a search for meaning are fundamental.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 29 Sep. 2025
Ahead of their May studio confirmation, Anderson .Paak and Mariah Carey had already set the internet ablaze with a series of very public hand-holding moments.
—Amber Corrine, VIBE.com, 25 Sep. 2025
Everyone gathers in the seance room for a little Practical Magic–esque spell-casting hand-holding.
—Jessica M. Goldstein, Vulture, 4 Sep. 2025
Cross-train staff, delegate decision making early, and build a leadership layer that doesn’t need hand-holding.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
In the middle of the episode, the pop superstar — who demonstrated visible PDA with Travis, 35, throughout the podcast's two-hour duration (kissing, hand-holding and all) — discussed her obsession with numerology, particularly her fascination with the number 13.
—Skyler Caruso, People.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Jeanne Phillips, Mercury News, 22 Jan. 2026
There’s no spoon-feeding or hand-holding.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 15 Jan. 2026
Elsewhere is Charles Ray’s Family Romance, 1993, whose hand-holding nude figures subvert any structuring of traditional family values.
—Tim Griffin, Artforum, 1 Dec. 2025
Adams views these interventions not as hand-holding, but as essential adaptations to a new workplace culture, where transparency, constant feedback, and a search for meaning are fundamental.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 29 Sep. 2025
Ahead of their May studio confirmation, Anderson .Paak and Mariah Carey had already set the internet ablaze with a series of very public hand-holding moments.
—Amber Corrine, VIBE.com, 25 Sep. 2025
Everyone gathers in the seance room for a little Practical Magic–esque spell-casting hand-holding.
—Jessica M. Goldstein, Vulture, 4 Sep. 2025
Cross-train staff, delegate decision making early, and build a leadership layer that doesn’t need hand-holding.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
In the middle of the episode, the pop superstar — who demonstrated visible PDA with Travis, 35, throughout the podcast's two-hour duration (kissing, hand-holding and all) — discussed her obsession with numerology, particularly her fascination with the number 13.
—Skyler Caruso, People.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hand-holding
Noun
-
If members of Congress did reach an agreement, Covered California would extend its enrollment period or reopen it, Altman said, so more patients could access financial assistance.—
Grant Stringer,
Mercury News,
21 Jan. 2026
-
The facility in Old Town has become known for its outreach to those needing assistance.—
Dillon Thomas,
CBS News,
21 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Microsoft is paying close to attention to the impact of its data centers on local residents.—
Jordan Novet,
CNBC,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Play close attention to those quotation marks.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
13 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Republicans pledge to revive a bill to establish an independent Office of Inspector General, which cleared the Senate last year with broad bipartisan support.—
Caroline Cummings,
CBS News,
22 Jan. 2026
-
People's Liberation Army troops under Mao's control either ignored the violence or offered support to the insurrectionists while the country descended into lawlessness and retribution.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
22 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Tyler Herro scored 19 on 7 for 15 shooting but had as many turnovers (three) as assists.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Stephen Curry scored 31 for his 13th 30-point performance of the season and Jimmy Butler had 30 points, seven rebounds and six assists in his fourth 30-point outing as the Warriors had a three-game home winning streak snapped.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
12 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
On Wednesday, Mayor Barbara Lee and police leaders credited the city’s violence intervention program, as well as surveillance technology and help from the California Highway Patrol, with driving much of the decline.—
Shomik Mukherjee,
Mercury News,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Two of the patients sustained minor injuries, one of whom declined medical help.—
Matthew Rodriguez,
CBS News,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Flynn, a Wu critic who nominated Worrell, was assigned to chair city services.—
Gayla Cawley,
Boston Herald,
13 Jan. 2026
-
The fire in Jackson caused so much damage that the synagogue cannot host worship services for the time being, Beth Israel Congregation President Zach Shemper said Sunday.—
Emily Hallas,
The Washington Examiner,
13 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hand-holding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hand-holding. Accessed 23 Jan. 2026.
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