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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hand-me-down
Bestreviews, Mercury News, 24 June 2025
Family hand-me-downs, thrifted items, and keepsakes are what make maximalist spaces one-of-a-kind.
—Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 May 2025
And Ming has a lot more hand-me-downs to look forward to.
—Janine Rubenstein, People.com, 24 Apr. 2025
Within the entertainment industry even our job titles are non-descriptive hand-me-downs from a bygone era and more often than not are negotiation points and not unilaterally indicative of any one role.
—Ollie Barder, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hand-me-down
Noun
That’s why a baby monitor can be a lifesaver, but not any old hand-me-down model will do.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 24 June 2025
Family hand-me-downs, thrifted items, and keepsakes are what make maximalist spaces one-of-a-kind.
—Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 May 2025
And Ming has a lot more hand-me-downs to look forward to.
—Janine Rubenstein, People.com, 24 Apr. 2025
Within the entertainment industry even our job titles are non-descriptive hand-me-downs from a bygone era and more often than not are negotiation points and not unilaterally indicative of any one role.
—Ollie Barder, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hand-me-down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hand-me-down
Adjective
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An entrepreneurship professor liked their initial idea, a browser extension that made secondhand retail easier, and invested the first $250,000 as a grant.—
Alexandra York,
Forbes.com,
11 July 2025
-
The question is: Who ends up with the star at the end? To hear the Astros talk about rookie star Cam Smith is to get secondhand goosebumps.—
Chris Branch,
New York Times,
10 July 2025
Noun
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Freddy Peralta, who earned his second career All-Star nomination on Sunday, boasts a 2.91 ERA, while Quinn Priester, who was acquired in a throwaway trade with the Red Sox, put up a 1.98 ERA over five games (four starts).—
The Athletic MLB Staff,
New York Times,
8 July 2025
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Hellman’s true feelings about the difference between theater and cinema, though, might be best revealed in a seeming throwaway line in the first scene of The Children’s Hour.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
24 June 2025
Noun
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Even from the outside, the bathroom door was fully covered in scrap wood, with a moon cut out to resemble an outhouse door.—
Meredith Wilshere,
People.com,
20 July 2025
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The original paint on the pine hardwood is intact if chipped, and several rails are missing—likely sacrificed to wartime scrap drives during filming.—
India Brown,
Robb Report,
18 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hand-me-down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hand-me-down. Accessed 26 Jul. 2025.
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