1
as in providing
to put (something) into the possession of someone for use or consumption
was happy to hand her grandmother's cookie recipes to the parish ladies to put in their cookbook
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in passing
to shift possession of (something) from one person to another
the clerk handed her the receipt
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in leaving
to put (something) into the possession or safekeeping of another
handed me her bundles while she fished for her house keys
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of handing
No one was bowing down and handing them the World Series trophy just for that, just like no one should write them off because of a bad stretch of games.
—
Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 4 May 2026
As the Timberwolves departed off the team bus in San Antonio on Sunday ahead of Game 1, there was Donte DiVincenzo, crutching his way off the steps before handing those off to hop onto his scooter.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 4 May 2026
The Los Angeles Angels walked off the Mets, 4-3, in the 10th inning on Saturday night at Angel Stadium, handing the Amazins’ their 18th loss in their last 22 tries.
—Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 3 May 2026
Brunson and the assistant coaches tasked with handing him the iPad have it down to a science.
—James L. Edwards Iii, New York Times, 3 May 2026
As Romans walks into his barn office, which seems not big enough to contain his 6-foot-2-inch frame, his longtime worker, Cristina Bahena, walks in with a big foam cup filled with ice, wordlessly handing it to Romans.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 2 May 2026
The Storm defeated Birmingham on the road two weeks ago, handing the Stallions the first-ever UFL shutout 16-0.
—Chris Hays, The Orlando Sentinel, 2 May 2026
Still, Takuma prevented Ioka from becoming a five-division champion, handing that possible honor to his brother, believed to have a good chance of doing just that.
—ABC News, 2 May 2026
Pooling money from wealthy donors and handing it to athletes is no longer a legitimate transition.
—Arkansas Online, 30 Apr. 2026
Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 4 May 2026
As the Timberwolves departed off the team bus in San Antonio on Sunday ahead of Game 1, there was Donte DiVincenzo, crutching his way off the steps before handing those off to hop onto his scooter.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 4 May 2026
The Los Angeles Angels walked off the Mets, 4-3, in the 10th inning on Saturday night at Angel Stadium, handing the Amazins’ their 18th loss in their last 22 tries.
—Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 3 May 2026
Brunson and the assistant coaches tasked with handing him the iPad have it down to a science.
—James L. Edwards Iii, New York Times, 3 May 2026
As Romans walks into his barn office, which seems not big enough to contain his 6-foot-2-inch frame, his longtime worker, Cristina Bahena, walks in with a big foam cup filled with ice, wordlessly handing it to Romans.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 2 May 2026
The Storm defeated Birmingham on the road two weeks ago, handing the Stallions the first-ever UFL shutout 16-0.
—Chris Hays, The Orlando Sentinel, 2 May 2026
Still, Takuma prevented Ioka from becoming a five-division champion, handing that possible honor to his brother, believed to have a good chance of doing just that.
—ABC News, 2 May 2026
Pooling money from wealthy donors and handing it to athletes is no longer a legitimate transition.
—Arkansas Online, 30 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for handing
Verb
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Ahead, experts share fruit trees that can thrive in patio environments, providing both delicious fruit and beautiful aesthetics.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
3 May 2026
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Each month, those investors also receive a small gift from the store as a thank you, providing a sample of the goods the Clarks sell.—
Emily M. Olson,
Hartford Courant,
3 May 2026
Verb
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But after the catastrophe that precedes it, the moment feels like passing around a collection plate at a funeral.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Massie objected to passing the extension by unanimous consent, forcing the legislation to a floor vote instead.—
Hailey Bullis,
The Washington Examiner,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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On Saturday, April 25, Banderas, 65, and Griffith, 68, were spotted leaving Beverly Hills sushi restaurant Matsuhisa arm-in-arm after enjoying dinner together.—
Clare Fisher,
PEOPLE,
28 Apr. 2026
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The complementary conditioner dials up the moisture with shea butter, murumuru butter, and amino acids to smooth and strengthen—leaving hair soft, bouncy, and ready for styling.—
Christa Joanna Lee,
Allure,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Why then hesitate at giving people information about themselves that will actually change their life for the better?—
R. Eric Thomas,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Zamora supports giving middle and high school communities the option to have an officer on campus at least part-time.—
Howard Blume,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Dezeurn played football for Palisades in the fall after transferring from Bishop Alemany last season.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2026
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Federal prosecutors indicted Michel in 2019, accusing him of illegally transferring funds into former President Barack Obama's 2012 re-election campaign.—
Adam England,
PEOPLE,
1 May 2026
Verb
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The company, which also makes the AI model Claude, has claimed that Mythos is currently too advanced for public release, and is instead entrusting the model to cybersecurity experts for the time being.—
Justin Klawans,
TheWeek,
9 Apr. 2026
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Jahangir abandoned writing in the 17th regnal year as his health declined, entrusting continuation to his court historian Muʿtamad Khan, who extended the narrative to Jahangir’s 19th regnal year.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The plant is expected to start supplying fertilizers to Latin American markets by early 2029, offering some respite to a region that is critical to global crop exports yet dependent on fertilizer imports.—
Natasha Bracken,
semafor.com,
28 Apr. 2026
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The station, northeast of Ramallah, is a vital water hub, supplying around 100,000 Palestinians across more than 20 communities.—
Laura Paddison,
CNN Money,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Although an invasion was unlikely, an aged Washington threw himself into preventing the French Revolution from reaching American shores.—
Daniel Immerwahr,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
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On current plans, Europe’s defense annual spending is set to almost double by 2030, reaching nearly $750 billion.—
Tim Lister,
CNN Money,
3 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Handing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/handing. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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