Synonyms of hand-me-down

hand-me-down 1 of 2

adjective

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.

Related Words

• secondhand
• worn
• reach-me-down
• pre-owned
• old
• borrowed
• assumed

Dissimilar Words

• new
• brand-new
• unused
• custom
• customized
• tailored
• custom-made
• bespoke
• tailor-made

hand-me-down

2 of 2

noun

as in white elephant

Related Words

• white elephant
• throwaway
• castaway
• scrap
• trash
• rubbish
• discard
• second
• reject
• rejection
• waste
• cull

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of hand-me-down

Adjective

It was filled with hand-me-downs from family and friends, plus a mix of cheap, cheerful pieces that got the job done. — Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 12 May 2026

Retail or hand-me-down, these unwanted gifts take up not just physical but emotional space as well. — Liana Satenstein, Vogue, 8 May 2026

These are hand-me-down stories, delivered in a familiar fashion, distinguished by an expert sense of craft. — Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Pitchfork, 20 Mar. 2026

Young musicians get their first guitar lots of different ways — as a hand-me-down, a birthday present or with cash earned from mowing grass. — Thor Christensen, Dallas Morning News, 25 Feb. 2026