1
as in to manage
to deal with (something) usually skillfully or efficiently
as host of a live TV talk show, she must handle any situation that comes up
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to treat
to behave toward in a stated way
handles all requests professionally, even when customers are rude
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
4
as in to supervise
to look after and make decisions about
she takes care of the flower beds, and he handles all the lawn care
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in to tolerate
to put up with (something painful or difficult)
I can't handle much more of this foul weather
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in to oversee
to be in charge of
I'll be handling the team's workouts while the leader is on vacation
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
2
as in name
a word or combination of words by which a person or thing is regularly known
likes to go by the handle "Champ"
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in nickname
a descriptive or familiar name given instead of or in addition to the one belonging to an individual
since it seemed decreed that every new firefighter have a handle, his was soon "Hulk"
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of handle
Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Oct. 2025
Other facilities that handle air traffic around airports in Newark, New Jersey; Jacksonville, Florida; Chicago, Washington, DC, and Indianapolis also were short staffed.
—Alexandra Skores, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2025
Sian Babish, PEOPLE, 5 Oct. 2025
There is Gamblers Anonymous for those seeking to get a handle on their addiction.
—Jeanne Sahadi, CNN Money, 5 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for handle
Verb
Democrats say health care protections must be preserved, while Republicans say funding and policy should be handled separately.
—Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Oct. 2025
Other facilities that handle air traffic around airports in Newark, New Jersey; Jacksonville, Florida; Chicago, Washington, DC, and Indianapolis also were short staffed.
—Alexandra Skores, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2025
Noun
Simply pump the handle to cut food into fine, chunky, or coarse bits as needed.
—Sian Babish, PEOPLE, 5 Oct. 2025
There is Gamblers Anonymous for those seeking to get a handle on their addiction.
—Jeanne Sahadi, CNN Money, 5 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for handle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for handle
Verb
-
At PortMiami on Thursday, several travelers express frustration over how the outbreak was managed by the cruise line.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
3 Oct. 2025
-
How does a century-old industrial company such as Firmenich (renamed DSM-Firmenich following its 2023 merger with Dutch chemical firm DSM) manage to remain globally competitive today, given that a large share of its cost base is in the most expensive country in the world?—
Peter Vanham,
Fortune,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Growing up, Wynter Starks didn’t trick-or-treat like other kids.—
Eve Chen,
USA Today,
5 Oct. 2025
-
If Ohtani is to be treated as a normal starter, however, could that mean changes in how the Dodgers deploy him?—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
4 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The program, which offers $1,500 mid-pregnancy cash assistance and then $500 a month up to a year of the baby's life, already operates in 11 communities around Michigan.—
Nushrat Rahman,
Freep.com,
6 Oct. 2025
-
Why was TikTok’s operating license suspended?—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Some genres may be extremely violent and gory, so parents may want to consider supervising their children's viewing of films or avoid them altogether.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
4 Oct. 2025
-
Advertisement Concerns about damage to parks Former park officials and advocates have expressed fear that protected land will be damaged by visitors if sites are left partially open while thousands of workers are furloughed or fired, and therefore absent from supervising lands.—
Connor Greene,
Time,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Here, grizzlies don’t equate people with food—as opposed to populated areas where alluring smells forge a connection—and have learned to tolerate humans, thanks to decades of naturalists adopting nonthreatening practices.—
Susan Portnoy,
AFAR Media,
3 Oct. 2025
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Water Chocolate cosmos tolerate dry conditions once established, but thrive with regular irrigation.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Elise Christopher oversaw the high school longitudinal studies at the National Center for Education Statistics, part of the Institute of Education Sciences, until she was laid off in March along with dozens of her colleagues.—
Carmela Guaglianone,
NPR,
7 Oct. 2025
-
For a discovery to count, the AI has to oversee the entire project, from hypothesis generation to experiment design to data analysis.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
7 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
In an increasingly crowded sports month, the lighthearted newcomer will help baseball keep its grip on the public consciousness.—
Jacob Feldman,
Sportico.com,
2 Oct. 2025
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New data showed manufacturing contracted this month, but less than expected, a hopeful indication that authorities may be coming to grips with industrial overcapacity.—
Semafor Events,
semafor.com,
2 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Williams — joined by family members, current and past KU coaches, players and support staff — on Tuesday afternoon cut the ribbon on the room that bears his name.—
Gary Bedore,
Kansas City Star,
8 Oct. 2025
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As their name suggests, these earbuds are best suited for use with Google’s Pixel phones, and support for iOS is limited.—
Jade Chung-Lee,
PC Magazine,
8 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Handle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/handle. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
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