1
as in manages
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 treats
to behave toward in a stated way
handles all requests professionally, even when customers are rude
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
4
as in supervises
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 accepts
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 oversees
to be in charge of
I'll be handling the team's workouts while the leader is on vacation
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in grips
a part by which an implement is held
was given a set a steak knives with wooden handles
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in names
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 nicknames
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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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Recent Examples of handles
Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 3 Sep. 2025
Aliyah Boston #7 of the Indiana Fever handles the ball against the Washington Mystics at Capital One Arena on June 07, 2024 in Washington, DC.
—Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025
Her team handles everything else.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
The Ada County Sheriff’s Office, which handles media inquiries for the Kuna police, declined to provide more information.
—Sally Krutzig, Idaho Statesman, 2 Sep. 2025
In Kansas City, the city’s health department enforces the food code while in Kansas, the state’s Department of Agriculture handles inspections.
—Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 2 Sep. 2025
That’s because the Supreme Court in April said these challenges belong in a different court that handles government contract disputes.
—Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2025
The phones also feature the latest Gemini Nano, an on-device AI utility that handles image recognition, audio transcription, and more without a cloud connection.
—PC Magazine, 26 Aug. 2025
The district, formed in 1920, handles mosquito spraying, larviciding and testing in 6,700 storm drains and various sites in Bannockburn, Deerfield, Fort Sheridan, Highland Park, Highwood, Riverwoods and a small slice of unincorporated Lake County.
—Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2025
Jakob Roze, Health, 2 Sep. 2025
This lush harvest look is designed to avoid blocking handles and knockers while adding deceptively faux foliage to your door.
—Mariana Best, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Sep. 2025
Door handles were forged in England using the brand’s same Scottish leather supplier.
—Lilian Raji, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2025
Our only complaint was the price, so a discount of $900 handles that problem.
—PC Magazine, 29 Aug. 2025
The pots and pans have removable handles so they can be stacked for easy storage.
—Nora Colomer
May Earn A Commission If You Buy Through Our Referral Links. This Content Was Created By A Team That Works Independently From The Fox Newsroom., FOXNews.com, 28 Aug. 2025
In the journal, Westman describes looking at door handles, calculating how to best lock victims inside, and noting where teachers were located.
—Allison Gordon, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2025
The shooter, identified as 23-year-old Robin Westman, had reportedly barricaded the doors of the church by placing two-by-fours in the handles of the exits before shooting through the windows.
—Bethany Brown, People.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Steering is undertaken using a custom system with control handles mounted low at each side of the rider, and an active tilting system helps lean into the corners.
—New Atlas, 28 Aug. 2025
Verb
Aurora’s powerful contribution Aurora handles the computational side of this pairing, with more than 60,000 GPUs and the ability to perform over one quintillion calculations per second.
—Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 3 Sep. 2025
Aliyah Boston #7 of the Indiana Fever handles the ball against the Washington Mystics at Capital One Arena on June 07, 2024 in Washington, DC.
—Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025
Her team handles everything else.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
The Ada County Sheriff’s Office, which handles media inquiries for the Kuna police, declined to provide more information.
—Sally Krutzig, Idaho Statesman, 2 Sep. 2025
In Kansas City, the city’s health department enforces the food code while in Kansas, the state’s Department of Agriculture handles inspections.
—Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 2 Sep. 2025
That’s because the Supreme Court in April said these challenges belong in a different court that handles government contract disputes.
—Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2025
The phones also feature the latest Gemini Nano, an on-device AI utility that handles image recognition, audio transcription, and more without a cloud connection.
—PC Magazine, 26 Aug. 2025
The district, formed in 1920, handles mosquito spraying, larviciding and testing in 6,700 storm drains and various sites in Bannockburn, Deerfield, Fort Sheridan, Highland Park, Highwood, Riverwoods and a small slice of unincorporated Lake County.
—Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2025
Noun
Grip the handles on the sides of the machine, tighten your core, and extend your legs, squeezing your quadriceps (top thigh muscles) at the top.
—Jakob Roze, Health, 2 Sep. 2025
This lush harvest look is designed to avoid blocking handles and knockers while adding deceptively faux foliage to your door.
—Mariana Best, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Sep. 2025
Door handles were forged in England using the brand’s same Scottish leather supplier.
—Lilian Raji, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2025
Our only complaint was the price, so a discount of $900 handles that problem.
—PC Magazine, 29 Aug. 2025
The pots and pans have removable handles so they can be stacked for easy storage.
—Nora Colomer
May Earn A Commission If You Buy Through Our Referral Links. This Content Was Created By A Team That Works Independently From The Fox Newsroom., FOXNews.com, 28 Aug. 2025
In the journal, Westman describes looking at door handles, calculating how to best lock victims inside, and noting where teachers were located.
—Allison Gordon, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2025
The shooter, identified as 23-year-old Robin Westman, had reportedly barricaded the doors of the church by placing two-by-fours in the handles of the exits before shooting through the windows.
—Bethany Brown, People.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Steering is undertaken using a custom system with control handles mounted low at each side of the rider, and an active tilting system helps lean into the corners.
—New Atlas, 28 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for handles
Verb
-
What struck me the most was how effortlessly the hotel manages to be both elevated and comfortable.—
Susmita Baral,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Sep. 2025
-
Its adtech business, which manages advertising on third-party websites, is not publicly broken out.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The Polestar 5’s interior is primarily designed for four people, but can carry five at a pinch, and treats them all to a four-zone climate control air conditioner, and the front seats have both heating and ventilation.—
Michael Taylor,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Among them was a Whipple procedure, which is an operation that treats tumors and other conditions in the pancreas, small intestine and bile ducts, according to the Mayo Clinic.—
Bailey Richards,
PEOPLE,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
There are exceptions, such as when the National Guard operates under state authority or when the Insurrection Act is invoked, allowing the president to deploy troops during major unrest or emergencies.—
Hannah Parry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Justice Defenders operates with a combination of federal money and in-kind ABA contributions, using the funds to support human rights defenders facing criminal charges, frivolous lawsuits and harassment.—
Ray Long,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The military, led by an officer known only as the Major (Mark Hamill, the right amount of hammy), remains in control and supervises the Walk.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
3 Sep. 2025
-
The leader of this office also administers one of the largest justice programs and supervises tens of thousands of defendants charged with crimes.—
Paul Vallas,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
State a belief that goes against what everyone accepts as true.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
1 Sep. 2025
-
Today, the plant rents dumpsters out to customers and accepts precious metals, electronics, materials that contain iron and other waste.—
Saleen Martin,
USA Today,
29 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Layden was the director of CDC’s Office of Public Health Data, Surveillance and Technology, which oversees the agency’s data-modernization efforts.—
Dominique Mosbergen,
Time,
5 Sep. 2025
-
For decades, Americans have found fault with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which oversees and helps fund federal responses to hurricanes and other crises, from Hurricane Katrina 20 years ago, when investigations led to major changes, and during Hurricane Helene in September 2024.—
Janet Wilson,
USA Today,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
One clammy hand grips the wheel.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
2 Sep. 2025
-
Sooner or later, the two sides will have to come to grips with the enrichment issue.—
Robert J. Einhorn,
Foreign Affairs,
29 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Most, if not all, Democrats are expected to sign on to his Epstein files petition, meaning only six Republicans would need to cross party lines to add their names.—
Lauren Green,
The Washington Examiner,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Major indexes fell, dragged down by declines in Big Tech names.—
Yeo Boon Ping,
CNBC,
3 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Handles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/handles. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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