1
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in handing
to shift possession of (something) from one person to another
hand over that screwdriver, will you please?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of handing over
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
Discussions have centered on AI firms voluntarily handing over shares to the government, with returns funneled to public purposes, such as dividends to all American households, according to NOTUS.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 5 June 2026
Norrased sought to reassure him, telling him that the water was being drained, and handing over blankets and food.
—Jintamas Saksornchai, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2026
The Shenzhou 21 crew will return to Earth on May 29, after handing over control of Tiangong to the incoming Shenzhou 23 astronauts.
—Andrew Jones, Space.com, 24 May 2026
As for Tom, he’s blindsided by Carl and his former partner arranging the deal with the Department of Defense and even more deeply bruised by handing over precious VA personal data to men who spend their days dreaming up cynical ways to exploit it for profit.
—Scott Tobias, Vulture, 24 May 2026
Pirates reliever Dennis Santana brokered a trade with a young fan for the ball, handing over a bat signed by Valdez and a Pirates cap in exchange for Valdez's keepsake.
—CBS News, 24 May 2026
Marketing is no longer handing over a qualified lead.
—Dee Blohm, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026
That one decision likely saved him from handing over personal information.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 15 May 2026
Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 5 June 2026
Discussions have centered on AI firms voluntarily handing over shares to the government, with returns funneled to public purposes, such as dividends to all American households, according to NOTUS.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 5 June 2026
Norrased sought to reassure him, telling him that the water was being drained, and handing over blankets and food.
—Jintamas Saksornchai, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2026
The Shenzhou 21 crew will return to Earth on May 29, after handing over control of Tiangong to the incoming Shenzhou 23 astronauts.
—Andrew Jones, Space.com, 24 May 2026
As for Tom, he’s blindsided by Carl and his former partner arranging the deal with the Department of Defense and even more deeply bruised by handing over precious VA personal data to men who spend their days dreaming up cynical ways to exploit it for profit.
—Scott Tobias, Vulture, 24 May 2026
Pirates reliever Dennis Santana brokered a trade with a young fan for the ball, handing over a bat signed by Valdez and a Pirates cap in exchange for Valdez's keepsake.
—CBS News, 24 May 2026
Marketing is no longer handing over a qualified lead.
—Dee Blohm, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026
That one decision likely saved him from handing over personal information.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 15 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for handing over
Verb
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Loth promptly went out and took care of business, taking the lead early before briefly relinquishing it, then pulling away down the stretch.—
Frank Rajkowski,
Twin Cities,
6 June 2026
-
Consumers are intrigued by convenience, but at the same time clearly uneasy about relinquishing control.—
Jacques Ledbetter,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2026
Verb
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Once your baby arrives, preventive steps include ensuring a healthy skin barrier to prevent easy access for triggers to enter the body and providing effective allergy care to reduce the risk of asthma developing.—
Dr. Daniel DiGiacomo,
Boston Herald,
7 June 2026
-
Maintaining proper moisture and providing well-draining soil are essential to avoiding these diseases.—
Rae Ford,
Martha Stewart,
7 June 2026
Verb
-
This new dating trend is leaving people baffled and heartbroken.—
Charles Trepany,
USA Today,
9 June 2026
-
Next, lift, don’t pour, the produce out of the bowl, leaving the dirt at the bottom.—
Sandee LaMotte,
CNN Money,
9 June 2026
Verb
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Ultimately, the Mariners took care of business in the 10th inning and won the contest 5-4, handing Baltimore its fourth loss in a row.—
Mark Harris OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
10 June 2026
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İmamoğlu’s victory marked a departure, handing the city over to the CHP, the main opposition party.—
Kaya Genç,
The Dial,
9 June 2026
Verb
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Antiques were restored and put in prominent places, rooms and suites were upgraded with new furnishings and fixtures, the beloved Café Romano got a facelift, and the energy infrastructure was upgraded, rendering the hotel more sustainable and making space for a new rooftop bar.—
Laura Itzkowitz,
Robb Report,
4 June 2026
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The past few years have seen a shift toward drenching, or covering every wall—including, sometimes, the ceiling—in a material, whether that's paint, wood, or wallpaper, rendering the accent wall less popular.—
Shagun Khare,
The Spruce,
1 June 2026
Verb
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Local groups Sin Tope and Making Movies performed on the festival’s main stage, giving fans a chance to decompress and have some fun, rather than stressing about their favorite team.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
12 June 2026
-
Hunter Biden has reemerged in recent weeks online, posting on X and giving interviews about his life in recovery for his substance use disorder and ensuing legal troubles created political headaches for his father.—
Lia Russell,
Sacbee.com,
12 June 2026
Verb
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Photonics, the use of light to transmit data, is an emerging technology considered to be a more efficient alternative to the current process of transferring data using electricity.—
Kai Nicol-Schwarz,
CNBC,
29 May 2026
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For Jackson, that meant starting at a mid-major, learning about the game and proving himself before transferring to an SEC power.—
Teddy Cahill,
New York Times,
29 May 2026
Verb
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Johnson said Williams and his receivers are much better aligned on passing routes compared to the same stage of the offseason program last year.—
Matt Zahn,
CBS News,
12 June 2026
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Enzo Fernandez — Argentina/Chelsea Fernandez scored 15 goals from midfield for Chelsea last season, but his elite passing will be more valuable to an Argentina side which continues to orbit around Messi.—
Liam Twomey,
New York Times,
11 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Handing over.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/handing%20over. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
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