handles 1 of 2

Definition of handlesnext
present tense third-person singular of handle
1
2
as in treats
to behave toward in a stated way handles all requests professionally, even when customers are rude

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
as in operates
to control the mechanical operation of learned how to handle basic woodworking power tools

Synonyms & Similar Words

4
5
6

handles

2 of 2

noun

plural of handle

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 handles
Verb
Blue Water Bistro, nearer the sand, handles relaxed lunches and dinners with dishes such as lobster tail burger and seafood claypot. Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 June 2026 As Petruschin focuses on the show’s host, head makeup artist Natasha Marcelina handles the show’s roster of guests. Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 1 June 2026 Fans also noticed that the show didn’t tag any of its contestants’ Instagram handles in this year’s announcement and that comments are already restricted on the Islanders’ personal pages, leading to speculation that the show has put new social media safeguards in place to alleviate harassment. Angela Yang, NBC news, 31 May 2026 In addition, the recovery process of common issues, regardless of who handles them, must be consistent. Shep Hyken, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026 The office also handles business licensing and filings. Times Staff, Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2026 Who handles problems if the cleaning falls short? Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 31 May 2026 Snowflake is among a pack of companies anchoring themselves after launching major AI initiatives that incorporate agentic technology with the data the company handles. Sebastian Herrera, Fortune, 30 May 2026 The same Amazon service also handles fulfillment for sellers on Shopify, Etsy, eBay and TikTok Shop. Patrick Van Esch, The Conversation, 25 May 2026
Noun
So Crawford showed him the handles, the step back, everything that made Crawford so hard to contain. Jared Weiss, New York Times, 31 May 2026 There’s braille, screen-reader compatibility, and extra handles. Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 29 May 2026 Both coolers have a full-zip top, an insulated interior, and double handles. Rebecca Jones, Southern Living, 28 May 2026 Shortly before running over Lindsey, Milligan said Lindsey approached his vehicle and pulled on the door’s handles, the statement said. Caroline Zimmerman may 28, Kansas City Star, 28 May 2026 Several studies have found that shopping cart handles have more germs than public restrooms. Mindy Johnston, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 May 2026 Stärke affixes its own badges, then adds its own lighting package, bumpers, and exterior trunk handles, as well as the option of selecting simple manual mirrors and chrome bumpers. Peter Nelson, Robb Report, 27 May 2026 If there are projects that your current department handles, negotiate with your manager to get involved in these. Caroline Ceniza-Levine, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026 Before leaving that night, the group exchanged social media handles with Jordan and stayed connected afterward. Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 27 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for handles
Verb
  • The group closely manages its propaganda and marketing with several guides that members must strictly adhere to.
    Will Carless, USA Today, 4 June 2026
  • Venue operator Live Nation — which manages more than 300 facilities across the country — initially hoped to build a permanent amphitheater nearby, but scrapped those plans in 2023 after the Irvine City Council ended negotiations.
    Clay Marshall, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2026
Verb
  • Advertisement Regardless of the facts, each side views itself as the aggrieved party and the other as the aggressor, sees the stakes as too high to step back unilaterally, and treats restraint as surrender.
    Bruce Sibley, Time, 29 May 2026
  • What does work is a containment pattern that treats every agent action as an external call requiring authorization at the action level, not the session level.
    Shreyans Mehta, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026
Verb
  • Albertsons, which operates in the state as Safeway, and Ahold Delhaize USA, owner of Food Lion and Giant, round out the top five grocery providers.
    Aldo Svaldi, Denver Post, 31 May 2026
  • Brisbane airport operates the most extensive domestic and regional network of any in the country and is home to the most (and now rare) flying Fokker aircraft.
    Ramsey Qubein, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
Verb
  • Milshtein previously served as adviser to COGAT, which supervises civilian policy in the West Bank and in the Gaza Strip.
    Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 19 May 2026
  • As chief of patrol, Hein supervises the most visible aspects of the Police Department that define its image in the minds of most Chicagoans, including emergency response, crisis intervention, traffic control, routine patrol and community policing efforts.
    Caroline Kubzansky, Chicago Tribune, 16 May 2026
Verb
  • Scorsese is the highest-profile filmmaker to embrace the technology roiling many of his Hollywood peers and potentially representing a paradigm shift in how the film industry accepts its use.
    Corbin Bolies, Variety, 3 June 2026
  • Because California accepts and counts large numbers of mail-in ballots after Election Day, final results were not immediately available.
    Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 3 June 2026
Verb
  • The race will determine who oversees one of the nation’s largest municipal law offices, which provides legal advice to city officials, represents Los Angeles in litigation and prosecutes misdemeanor charges committed within city limits.
    Teresa Liu, Daily News, 3 June 2026
  • As part of that, Malhotra oversees Snap’s international growth initiatives across North America, Europe, Middle East and North Africa, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America.
    Todd Spangler, Variety, 3 June 2026
Noun
  • As the World Cup grips North America this summer, China will again watch from the sidelines.
    Reagan Yip, CNN Money, 3 June 2026
  • Breakfasts are vast and need a Mimosa to get to grips with.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 June 2026
Noun
  • Lawmakers can also find ways to weave their policies into other bills that may not bear their names.
    Elliott Wenzler, Denver Post, 31 May 2026
  • As of publication, further details about the wrong-way crash and the names of the drivers involved were not shared.
    Matthew Ablon, CBS News, 31 May 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Handles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/handles. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on handles

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster