as in secondhand
owned or used by someone after it had been owned or used by someone else
—used especially of clothing
He was wearing an old, hand-me-down jacket.
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Recent Examples of hand-me-down
Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 12 Jan. 2026
Without their belongings, the family is relying on neighbors and relatives this season, borrowing Christmas trees, hand-me-down dishes, and even pie plates.
—Amelia Mugavero, CBS News, 3 Dec. 2025
For instance, our toddler is growing up with more cashmere than most adults, since her hand-me-downs were made by her great-grandmother, Celsa, the founder of Scaglione.
—Nneya Richards, Travel + Leisure, 11 Nov. 2025
Fit a Bow A new bow loses about a third of its value after leaving the shop, so a lot of new archers start with a hand-me-down.
—The Editors, Outdoor Life, 30 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hand-me-down
Adjective
Rounding out the spot are a hand-me-down coffee table finished to look like malachite, a rug by From Jaipur With Love, and an abstract painting by Jen Garrido that the couple picked up on a trip to Austin, Texas.
—Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 12 Jan. 2026
Without their belongings, the family is relying on neighbors and relatives this season, borrowing Christmas trees, hand-me-down dishes, and even pie plates.
—Amelia Mugavero, CBS News, 3 Dec. 2025
For instance, our toddler is growing up with more cashmere than most adults, since her hand-me-downs were made by her great-grandmother, Celsa, the founder of Scaglione.
—Nneya Richards, Travel + Leisure, 11 Nov. 2025
Fit a Bow A new bow loses about a third of its value after leaving the shop, so a lot of new archers start with a hand-me-down.
—The Editors, Outdoor Life, 30 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hand-me-down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hand-me-down
Adjective
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But the designer version is difficult to find, even secondhand, and costs a hefty $1,070.—
Jacqueline Tempera,
PEOPLE,
3 June 2026
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Kantamanto, home to 30,000 traders across 18 sprawling acres, is West Africa’s largest secondhand clothing market.—
Jasmin Malik Chua,
Footwear News,
28 May 2026
Noun
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The throwaway lines or sight gags about Ray’s sexuality were funny in the early films because they were rarely hammered.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
4 June 2026
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The footage was reposted on TikTok, and the comments were divided—some were convinced that the lyrics had a dark undertone, while others were baffled that a throwaway TikTok meme could be used as evidence in court.—
Dani Di Placido,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
Noun
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Rams castaway Cooper Kupp still boasts an unexpected wry sense of humor.—
Steve Henson,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
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Fantasizing about a castaway escape, with a remote island drop-off and beach picnic for two?—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
Don’t dispose of fish or food scraps in water.—
Eva Flowe
June 12,
Charlotte Observer,
12 June 2026
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There will be talks and demonstrations from growers, music and food (no tossing the plants any scraps, please) raffles and the sale of growing accessories.—
Randy McMullen,
Mercury News,
11 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hand-me-down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hand-me-down. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
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