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handbags

noun

plural of handbag
1
as in suitcases
a bag carried by hand and designed to hold a traveler's clothing and personal articles flies only with a handbag so he doesn't have to check his luggage

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in purses
a container for carrying money and small personal items her handbag is just big enough to hold her favorite photos and wallet

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 handbags Future sales will feature luxury watches and enough Hermès handbags (around 250, Hotlotz said) for two standalone auctions, the first of which is scheduled for November. — Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 14 Sep. 2026 While most assume the retailer only does designer, in actuality, a third is designer, a third is contemporary and advanced contemporary and a third is shoes, handbags, accessories and jewelry. — Fairchild Studio, Footwear News, 10 Sep. 2026 The display will include over 130 handbags and accessories designed by Leiber, along with outfits that may have accompanied the items at the time. — Claire Harutunian, Charlotte Observer, 9 Sep. 2026 Lam was attracting attention, too, for spending hundreds of thousands of dollars a night at clubs and tossing handbags worth tens of thousands of dollars to women in the crowds. — ABC News, 7 Sep. 2026 The collection features sophisticated pieces with luxury prices ranging between $128 and $393 for clothing, $325 to $375 for shoes, and $1,200 to $3,600 for handbags. — Jessie Quinn, StyleCaster, 3 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for handbags
  1. suitcases
  2. purses
  3. wallets
  4. bags
  5. backpacks
Noun
  • The rest are grating, like a never-ending gag about Gillian traveling with two heavy suitcases that make going up stairs difficult.
    — Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2026
  • At Gatwick Airport, about 30 miles south of central London, passengers stretched out on the bare floor beside their suitcases.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of suitcases
Noun
  • At these events, Susie repairs leather items, such as belts and purses, even leather vests and jackets, but usually not shoes.
    — Lydia Davis, New Yorker, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Don’t leave these products in purses, backpacks, bedside tables, kitchen cabinets or other places children can access.
    — Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of purses
Noun
  • The price hike for any individual item would likely be modest, but the pileup of extra costs across an array of goods could weigh on wallets, analysts previously told ABC News.
    — Max Zahn, ABC News, 4 Sep. 2026
  • In July 2026, for example, average airfares were nearly 26% more expensive than in July 2025, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics—a significant hit to travelers’ wallets.
    — Jessica Puckett, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of wallets
Noun
  • Another image showed clear plastic bags containing a crystalline substance authorities identified as methamphetamine.
    — Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 6 Sep. 2026
  • The detail was taken straight out of the equestrian world, affixed to the brand’s bags and footwear.
    — Amina Ayoud, Footwear News, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of bags
Noun
  • This year, our data showed kids’ apparel up 185 percent and backpacks up 130 percent by the end of July compared to June.
    — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Don’t leave these products in purses, backpacks, bedside tables, kitchen cabinets or other places children can access.
    — Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of backpacks

Browse Nearby Words

handbag
handbags
handbasket
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Cite this Entry

“Handbags.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/handbags. Accessed 18 Sep. 2026.

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Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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