HANDING OVER Synonyms: 108 Similar and Opposite Words

handing over

verb

present participle of hand over

as in relinquishing

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

as in providing

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

as in leaving

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 handing

to shift possession of (something) from one person to another hand over that screwdriver, will you please?

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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 handing over Her parents weren’t so sure and convinced her to fly out to see the place in person before handing over any cash. — Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 21 July 2026 After falsely bending the knee to Daemon (Matt Smith), pretending to swear fealty to Rhaenyra, and handing over a decoy Daeron, Ormund decamped with his army to the unfortified market town of Tumbleton. — Megan McCluskey, Time, 20 July 2026 Wisconsin’s Democratic attorney general sued to stop Musk from handing over the checks to two voters, but was rejected by state courts. — Scott Bauer, Fortune, 15 July 2026 Wisconsin's Democratic attorney general sued to stop Musk from handing over the checks to two voters, but was rejected by state courts. — ABC News, 14 July 2026 Finding The Balance Between Automation And Connection The challenge for marketing leaders is using AI without handing over the keys to your brand kingdom. — Jenny Herbison, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026 Taking over from film journalist Wolf Donner, de Hadeln would spend more than two decades as the head of the festival, before handing over the baton to Dieter Kosslik. — Zac Ntim, Deadline, 7 July 2026 After handing over the reins, Dimon will likely stay as executive chairman for a couple of years, the source said. — Anirban Sen, USA Today, 29 June 2026 Ferguson and his team had to build pitches on top of the existing ones, with some venues only handing over the premises days before, due to commercial commitments. — Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 5 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for handing over

Verb

For Harrison, the collaboration also meant relinquishing some control.

— SPIN Staff, SPIN, 22 July 2026
Clearly, the Flyers are comfortable with relinquishing first-round picks in their next four drafts as there is more value in having a true 1C in Carlsson.

— Kevin Kurz, New York Times, 8 July 2026

Definition of relinquishing

Verb

As a public benefit corporation, PayJoy funds loans through its Asset Fund, prioritizing customer well-being by providing crucial financial access beyond conventional banking.

— Boaz Sobrado, Forbes.com, 24 July 2026
Natural reefs are made of rocks, small organisms or coral along the ocean floor providing shelter to marine animals, according to National Geographic.

— Laura Horne, Charlotte Observer, 23 July 2026

Definition of providing

Verb

After leaving Liverpool in 2024, Klopp was working as Red Bull’s head of global soccer.

— Thomas Schlachter, CNN Money, 24 July 2026
With the final tour game against Sunderland taking place on August 2, Parkinson and his players won’t be back in the UK until the Monday morning (August 3) — leaving under five days to prepare.

— Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 24 July 2026

Definition of leaving

Verb

Why This Belongs In The Finance Seat The CFO is the most conservative person in the building, so handing them an emerging technology to drive sounds backward.

— David Zwick, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
That’s a problem, Nadella argues, because enterprises are unsuspectingly handing the labs the ability to one day compete with them.

— Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 16 July 2026

Definition of handing

Verb

Simultaneously rendering the past less remote while relishing its radical foreignness, Beard presses readers to grapple with alien ideas, reckon with gaps in their knowledge, and confront complexity.

— The New Yorker, New Yorker, 20 July 2026
New state-level AI laws face significant enforcement challenges, rendering many ineffective.

— Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026

Definition of rendering

Verb

Much of the early literature framed the debate as a choice between state and private ownership, giving less attention to the broad range of ownership and governance arrangements that lie between those two extremes.

— James Broughel, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
This deep price drop completely sweeps away the financial barrier typically attached to high-power smart floor robots, giving busy families, pet owners, and apartment dwellers an easy way to maintain pristine floors.

— Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 22 July 2026

Definition of giving

Verb

Rather than transferring the whiskeys into entirely different finishing barrels, toasted pieces of American and French oak are placed into their existing barrels, allowing the whiskey to extract additional flavors from the wood.

— Emily Price, Forbes.com, 25 July 2026
There’s even a tire failure-detection system that helps stabilize the car by transferring torque across the remaining wheels in milliseconds.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 25 July 2026

Definition of transferring

Verb

Lawmakers tried for years to put limits on the practice before passing a bill this spring that raises the minimum legal age for riding in truck beds from 12 to 16.

— ABC News, ABC News, 23 July 2026
Orcas are known to play with their food—passing dying prey around to one another, for example, like a macabre game of hot potato.

— Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 23 July 2026

Definition of passing

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handing out

handing over

hand in hand

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“Handing over.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/handing%20over. Accessed 27 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of handing over

verb

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