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.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of handle
Aldo Svaldi, Denver Post, 7 Aug. 2025
International sales are being handled by Totem Films.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 7 Aug. 2025
Louryn Strampe, Wired News, 2 Aug. 2025
Begay beat the victim with his hands, feet and a metal jack handle, court records said.
—Maritza Dominguez, AZCentral.com, 31 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for handle
Verb
The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment’s Division of Labor Standards and Statistics (DLSS) handles enforcement and tracks complaints, of which there have been 2,228 filed since 2021, according to a dashboard maintained by the DLSS.
—Aldo Svaldi, Denver Post, 7 Aug. 2025
International sales are being handled by Totem Films.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 7 Aug. 2025
Noun
The handle snaps on and can be removed entirely or replaced with a strap.
—Louryn Strampe, Wired News, 2 Aug. 2025
Begay beat the victim with his hands, feet and a metal jack handle, court records said.
—Maritza Dominguez, AZCentral.com, 31 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for handle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for handle
Verb
-
Uber's operational model prioritizes rapid market entry with standardized processes that can be quickly deployed across new cities, often learning and adapting on the fly while managing the complexity of hundreds of simultaneous markets.—
Tima Bansal,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
-
The process would be vastly easier to manage if not for that pesky academic calendar.—
Jon Wilner,
Mercury News,
7 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
The driver, who was on parole at the time of the incident, was arrested and taken to a hospital to be treated, Ernst said.—
Karen Kucher,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 Aug. 2025
-
All this activity is dramatically shifting the focus of Lloyd Webber’s company, treating the legendary composer and his work as a brand like Star Wars, Marvel, Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
13 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
The Japanese tech company has operated in Russia since 2006, but after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine began scaling back operations, halting console shipments and closing online and brick-and-mortar stores.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
14 Aug. 2025
-
Personal watercraft cannot be operated from a half hour after sunset to a half hour before sunrise, even with navigation lights.—
David Goodhue,
Miami Herald,
14 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
The official supervising Ghana’s effort to build its first nuclear plant admitted to Semafor last year that the country would miss its own 2030 deadline.—
Prashant Rao,
semafor.com,
7 Aug. 2025
-
The focus is no longer on doing the process, but on designing, supervising and improving it.—
Dutt Kalluri,
Forbes.com,
7 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Those that tolerate high temperatures and drought to grow well in the South include Spanish lavender (Lavandula stoechas) and ‘Provence’ French lavender (Lavandula x intermedia).—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
12 Aug. 2025
-
Peace lilies can tolerate lower light levels than many other houseplants.—
Andy Wilcox,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
As part of the newsroom, all of Alyssa's work and coverage decisions are overseen solely by Journal Sentinel editors.—
Alyssa N. Salcedo,
jsonline.com,
7 Aug. 2025
-
That would be George Cheeks, who oversaw CBS and its assets during the Redstone era and will be the chairman of TV media under Ellison’s ownership.—
Erik Hayden,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Since achieving independence from Sudan in 2011, South Sudan has spent nearly half its life at war and is currently in the grip of a political crisis, after President Salva Kiir's government ordered the arrest of Vice President Riek Machar in March.—
George Obulutsa,
USA Today,
14 Aug. 2025
-
Besides the obvious discomfort, my grip never felt quite secure enough for the large, sweeping mouse movement required for a game like this.—
Kyle Orland,
ArsTechnica,
13 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
The Journal Sentinel also sought feedback on the school's name, with 10 readers responding.—
Alec Johnson,
jsonline.com,
7 Aug. 2025
-
The man did not provide the name of the restaurant or the Facebook group in his Reddit post.—
Logan Holland,
People.com,
7 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Handle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/handle. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share