1
as in to relinquish
to give (something) over to the control or possession of another usually under duress
the police officer ordered the suspect to hand over his weapons
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to provide
to put (something) into the possession of someone for use or consumption
in response to a desperate plea, we handed over all our extra blankets and pillows to the homeless shelter
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to hand
to put (something) into the possession or safekeeping of another
handed over their valuables to the desk clerk, who put them in the hotel safe
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in surrender
the usually forced yielding of one's person or possessions to the control of another
though the handover of my wallet was painful, it was better than getting shot by some trigger-happy punk
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hand over
David Wright Faladé, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2025
In the last days of 1890, the Army intercepted Miniconjou Lakota Chief Big Foot, who sent word he and the 350 people with him would hand over their weapons.
—Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA Today, 26 Sep. 2025
Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025
The formal handover of power between Bayrou and Lecornu is due to take place on Wednesday at midday local time.
—Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 10 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hand over
Verb
Her mama smiled then, placing a hand over Jean’s.
—David Wright Faladé, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2025
In the last days of 1890, the Army intercepted Miniconjou Lakota Chief Big Foot, who sent word he and the 350 people with him would hand over their weapons.
—Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA Today, 26 Sep. 2025
Noun
Ali reignited the discussion on Monday at a ceremony in Jakarta that marked the handover of a new frigate.
—Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025
The formal handover of power between Bayrou and Lecornu is due to take place on Wednesday at midday local time.
—Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 10 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hand over
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hand over
Verb
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Liberation lies in relinquishing projection, in surrendering the desire for children to mirror our priorities and accomplishments.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Oct. 2025
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For decades after that, most parents who relinquished infants for adoption did not expect to see or hear from those children again.—
Nicole Chung,
The Atlantic,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Numbers provided by Cincinnati Public Schools show that the school district had 4,326 homeless students last year, representing a 77% increase from a decade prior, despite total student enrollment increasing by only 538 students over the same period of time.—
Elizabeth B. Kim,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
6 Oct. 2025
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Green Hill plans to help restart Smith Springs financially, provide manpower for physical work and could potentially have some of its congregants move to Smith Springs Baptist, officials said.—
Andy Humbles,
Nashville Tennessean,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
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His 1-0, two-out fastball to Hernández, though, ended up in the right-field stands, handing the Dodgers their first lead.—
Charlotte Varnes,
New York Times,
5 Oct. 2025
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Individual disposable towels and/or hand drying device not provided at lavatory or hand sink.—
Gege Reed,
Louisville Courier Journal,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
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There was no immediate response from Israel, which is largely shut down for the Jewish Sabbath, and Hamas’ response fell short of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s demands that the group surrender and disarm.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
3 Oct. 2025
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Russians went from being shocked by the Kremlin attacking a neighboring country, to despair that no amount of protest could end the war, to fear of escalating repressions against the critics of the war, and finally, to apathy and surrender.—
Nina Khrushcheva,
Time,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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As Riofrancos notes, approximately 69 percent of transition minerals—and a whopping 85 percent of lithium reserves—are in or near Indigenous or poor communities across the globe, rendering these groups disproportionately vulnerable to water contamination, displacement, and economic insecurity.—
Scott W. Stern,
The Atlantic,
2 Oct. 2025
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Their skin is separated from the meat so the fat can render beneath it, crisping the surface while basting the flesh from within.—
Mackensy Lunsford,
Nashville Tennessean,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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How does a century-old industrial company such as Firmenich (renamed DSM-Firmenich following its 2023 merger with Dutch chemical firm DSM) manage to remain globally competitive today, given that a large share of its cost base is in the most expensive country in the world?—
Peter Vanham,
Fortune,
2 Oct. 2025
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The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act requires employers to give 60 days’ notice ahead of mass layoffs.—
Andrew Stanton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Nobody wants to be seen by voters as the cause of a shutdown that will leave many federal workers without pay and some services closed.—
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
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The photographs show how the wearable had swelled leaving no gap between his finger and the ring.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
30 Sep. 2025
Noun
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While submissions for the festival come from all over the world, the festival experience itself is geared toward local Carolinians.—
Zach Dennis,
Charlotte Observer,
2 Oct. 2025
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Reader predictions Thank you for your submissions last week.—
Manny Navarro,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hand over.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hand%20over. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.
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