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
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of handing
Michael Lind, the writer and New America co-founder, argues in Commonplace, the magazine of Oren Cass’s American Compass, that a decent wage and a safety net should be enough, and that handing workers a stake in capital insults the dignity of their labor.
—
Teresa Ghilarducci,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2026
Indeed, Gibson has found that there is nothing more rewarding than handing a patient a pair of dentures that will bring back their confidence and sense of self.
—
Desiree Anello,
PEOPLE,
23 June 2026
The Pulp Fiction auteur previously abandoned plans to direct The Adventures of Cliff Booth, instead handing the screenplay off to David Fincher.
—
Spin Staff,
SPIN,
23 June 2026
In a big matchup between division-leading heavyweights, Atlanta took two of three from Milwaukee over the weekend, even handing Jacob Misiorowski — now atop our starting pitcher rankings — a loss Friday night.
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Ken Rosenthal,
New York Times,
22 June 2026
Making that fantasy feel believable required far more than putting Lestat in leather and handing him a microphone.
—
Precious Fondren,
Los Angeles Times,
20 June 2026
Etihad is also handing inbound visitors free medical cover from July to December.
—
Manal Albarakati,
semafor.com,
18 June 2026
Those few extra seconds can be the difference between staying safe and handing a scammer your credit card, password or one-time code.
—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
17 June 2026
His grandfather, Charles, and granduncle, Jean, acquired the Patek Philippe manufacture in 1932, handing the reins over to Philippe’s father, Henri, in 1958.
—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
15 June 2026
Teresa Ghilarducci,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2026
Indeed, Gibson has found that there is nothing more rewarding than handing a patient a pair of dentures that will bring back their confidence and sense of self.
—
Desiree Anello,
PEOPLE,
23 June 2026
The Pulp Fiction auteur previously abandoned plans to direct The Adventures of Cliff Booth, instead handing the screenplay off to David Fincher.
—
Spin Staff,
SPIN,
23 June 2026
In a big matchup between division-leading heavyweights, Atlanta took two of three from Milwaukee over the weekend, even handing Jacob Misiorowski — now atop our starting pitcher rankings — a loss Friday night.
—
Ken Rosenthal,
New York Times,
22 June 2026
Making that fantasy feel believable required far more than putting Lestat in leather and handing him a microphone.
—
Precious Fondren,
Los Angeles Times,
20 June 2026
Etihad is also handing inbound visitors free medical cover from July to December.
—
Manal Albarakati,
semafor.com,
18 June 2026
Those few extra seconds can be the difference between staying safe and handing a scammer your credit card, password or one-time code.
—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
17 June 2026
His grandfather, Charles, and granduncle, Jean, acquired the Patek Philippe manufacture in 1932, handing the reins over to Philippe’s father, Henri, in 1958.
—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
15 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for handing
Verb
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Looking for a silver lining Some analysts fear that the friction over the 250th celebrations, especially the national ones, may end up reinforcing the nation's bitter divide rather than providing a respite from it.
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It is credited with being the first system to capture images of collision between large astronomical objects and providing strong proof on the road to confirming that supermassive black holes exist.
Verb
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By contrast, the newcomers spoke their own languages, perhaps with a passing knowledge of Latin too.
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Eventually, the Custer statue became a gathering place for public protests and demonstrations in Monroe on a range of topics, given the visibility from passing traffic and spillover space in the parking lot.
Verb
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The case was initiated in August by an asylum-seeker from Guatemala who was arrested after leaving a routine immigration hearing in San Francisco and then held without access to adequate hygiene, sanitation, medical care and legal advice, according to the complaint.
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The 'new normal' The threats facing high-profile events in 2026 differ from those held in recent decades as technology has quickly evolved, experts said, leaving law enforcement agencies working to catch up.
Verb
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Healthcare economists say giving people access to preventive healthcare saves taxpayers money in the long run by keeping the workforce healthy and relieving pressure on an overburdened system.
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Denise Mendez is practicing giving cues to a training dog at the Jefferson Moss-Magee Rehabilitation Center.
Verb
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When in a group, space out to prevent the current from transferring between individuals.
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The Coast Guard towed one boat to Queen’s Landing near Buckingham Fountain, and took the other vessel in tow, transferring its passengers to the Chicago Marine Police Department headquarters, the press release said.
Verb
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Brisson is arguably the sport’s biggest agent, and Trocheck — after nearly getting dealt at the March trade deadline — is entrusting him to facilitate a desirable move this summer.
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After, Roelker earned the confidence of Musk and a key lieutenant, Mark Juncosa, who began entrusting him with increasingly important projects, including flight software for Falcon Heavy, Crew Dragon, early versions of Starship, and, of course, the Starlink Internet constellation.
Verb
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Shacks, of which there were nine along the peninsula, would compete to outdo each other, lighting bonfires on the beach, supplying endless kegs, and inviting live bands.
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That demand is profitable and far more profitable than supplying chips for a $50 smartphone.
Verb
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Infant mortality is the measure of how many babies die before reaching their first birthday.
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The Israel-Hezbollah conflict in Lebanon, which has continued despite a recent renewal of their ceasefire agreement, is a key obstacle to the US and Iran reaching a final peace deal.
Cite this Entry
“Handing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/handing. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
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