hand-me-down 1 of 2

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.

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

hand-me-down

2 of 2

noun

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of hand-me-down
Adjective
My sisters’ hand-me-downs were highly coveted by us all. Lola Kirke, Vogue, 21 Jan. 2025 Nor does a distaste for hand-me-downs explain the difference; the same pattern applies regardless of where a production begins. Jesse Green, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2025 In a September interview with Hello!, James said that both Kate and Pippa had given him baby clothes for Inigo, all of which were hand-me-downs from their own kids. Rachel Burchfield, People.com, 1 Jan. 2025 In addition to the hand-me-down dress, Beatrice also wore the tiara Queen Elizabeth wore at her wedding. Rachel Burchfield, People.com, 18 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for hand-me-down 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hand-me-down
Adjective
  • All of this could lead to greater acceptance of EVs, and a stronger secondhand market, Onori says.
    IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 29 Jan. 2025
  • Why Older Furniture Can Be a Better Buy Carter emphasized the benefits of giving secondhand furniture a new lease on life.
    Barbara A. Perry, Newsweek, 28 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • The Huskies turned the ball over a season-high 25 times, but even Marquette’s 29 points off those throwaways couldn’t slow UConn.
    Lindsay Schnell, The Athletic, 2 Feb. 2025
  • Here's a hint: A crowded spot towards the end of the year A great place to get your throwaway gear.
    Justin Kaufmann, Axios, 7 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • In practice, Kung Fu Panda feels like adventure cobbled together from scraps, and the fight sequences and animation aren’t as stunning as the previous films.
    James Grebey, Vulture, 31 Jan. 2025
  • That means gathering items such as work gloves, metal scraps and power cables.
    Gieson Cacho, The Mercury News, 30 Jan. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near hand-me-down

Cite this Entry

“Hand-me-down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hand-me-down. Accessed 7 Feb. 2025.

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