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
Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 8 June 2026
But there is nothing online regarding any nomination other than who is scheduled to be considered by the Judiciary Committee, which confirms judges, and the Finance Committee, which handles all other nominees.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 8 June 2026
The model handles the reasoning; the web supplies the facts that make the reasoning useful.
—Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 8 June 2026
Jones Lang LaSalle, which handles leasing for the Encinitas Marketplace shopping center at North El Camino Real and Via Molena, announced Whole Foods Market’s arrival in a brochure.
—Roxana Popescu, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 June 2026
Yuzu handles cold better than most citrus, but younger trees are more vulnerable.
—Rae Ford, Martha Stewart, 7 June 2026
Now, Vision Media, a screening company that handles awards promotion for studios like Disney, NBCUniversal, Netflix and Paramount, is investigating whether the leak can be traced back to security vulnerabilities in its platform.
—Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 4 June 2026
Complete with dark web monitoring alerts, secure vault and credential sharing, and emergency access for trusted contacts, Proton Pass Plus handles total account tracking for top-notch online privacy.
—Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 4 June 2026
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
New Atlas, 4 June 2026
The protest test Through its social media handles, the CJP posts about the lack of development and rising unemployment.
—Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 4 June 2026
Oftentimes, these are on faucets, handles, showerheads, towel racks, and sometimes even light fixtures.
—Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 4 June 2026
There’s physical engagement with things like door handles, throttle cables, ignition keys, and toggle switches.
—Andrew P. Collins, The Drive, 3 June 2026
During the ride, her hands remained tightly wrapped around the coaster's handles.
—Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 3 June 2026
Nozzles are designed with amber-like handles to warm up the granite surfaces, and the Bottega Veneta products, without question, are worth pocketing.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 June 2026
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
Verb
How Familiar handles privacy inside your home A robot that sees and hears what happens inside your home naturally raises privacy questions.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 8 June 2026
But there is nothing online regarding any nomination other than who is scheduled to be considered by the Judiciary Committee, which confirms judges, and the Finance Committee, which handles all other nominees.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 8 June 2026
The model handles the reasoning; the web supplies the facts that make the reasoning useful.
—Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 8 June 2026
Jones Lang LaSalle, which handles leasing for the Encinitas Marketplace shopping center at North El Camino Real and Via Molena, announced Whole Foods Market’s arrival in a brochure.
—Roxana Popescu, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 June 2026
Yuzu handles cold better than most citrus, but younger trees are more vulnerable.
—Rae Ford, Martha Stewart, 7 June 2026
Now, Vision Media, a screening company that handles awards promotion for studios like Disney, NBCUniversal, Netflix and Paramount, is investigating whether the leak can be traced back to security vulnerabilities in its platform.
—Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 4 June 2026
Complete with dark web monitoring alerts, secure vault and credential sharing, and emergency access for trusted contacts, Proton Pass Plus handles total account tracking for top-notch online privacy.
—Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 4 June 2026
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
Noun
Instead of those handle halves folding around close to 180 degrees to reveal a central set of pliers like many other Leathermans do, one of the Crunch's handles pulls out and swings downward via an internal arm to reveal the pliers, which in turn swing into position.
—New Atlas, 4 June 2026
The protest test Through its social media handles, the CJP posts about the lack of development and rising unemployment.
—Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 4 June 2026
Oftentimes, these are on faucets, handles, showerheads, towel racks, and sometimes even light fixtures.
—Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 4 June 2026
There’s physical engagement with things like door handles, throttle cables, ignition keys, and toggle switches.
—Andrew P. Collins, The Drive, 3 June 2026
During the ride, her hands remained tightly wrapped around the coaster's handles.
—Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 3 June 2026
Nozzles are designed with amber-like handles to warm up the granite surfaces, and the Bottega Veneta products, without question, are worth pocketing.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 June 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for handles
Verb
-
Visitors who drop personal belongings into the water are instructed to notify onsite emergency personnel, who can determine whether recovery is possible, according to Urbia Cataratas, which manages the Brazilian side of the attraction.—
Kelly McGreal,
FOXNews.com,
11 June 2026
-
Without congressional action, the fund is now expected to begin depleting by the fourth quarter of 2032, according to a report issued Tuesday by Social Security's trustees, the body that manages the trust fund.—
Mason Leib,
ABC News,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
Trump also poked Macron by telling a private luncheon in April that his wife, Brigitte Macron, treats her husband badly.—
Darlene Superville,
Los Angeles Times,
12 June 2026
-
Every five to seven years, a new class of threat arrives, the field treats it as unprecedented and the practitioners who recognize the shape from prior waves are the ones who solve it first.—
Harsh Singhal,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
The department also operates Brinc Lemur S units for indoor tactical situations and the autonomous DJI Box 3 with Matrice 4TD — a drone-in-a-box platform that is programmed to launch, navigate and return to base entirely on its own.—
Walker Armstrong,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 June 2026
-
CoreCivic purchased the facility from the county in October 1996 and currently owns and operates the facility.—
Logan Smith,
CBS News,
7 June 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
-
Percy accepts this and leaves Barry’s Bay the next day, returning home to Seattle.—
Allison DeGrushe,
StyleCaster,
10 June 2026
-
The program accepts digital coupons and offers cash back rewards.—
Glenn Taylor,
Footwear News,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
In a statement to CBS News, the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, confirmed the training changes.—
Camilo Montoya-Galvez,
CBS News,
10 June 2026
-
Tucking in for departure, DeeDee strikes up a flirtation with Cal (Brian Jordan Alvarez), Glamazonian’s hunky co-conductor, while Tess oversees the train’s A-list clientele.—
Todd Gilchrist,
Variety,
10 June 2026
Noun
-
Eldest daughter Abby is recently divorced, and coming to grips with being a single mother, while Paige is an ambitious NYC publicist thrown completely out of her element in Wyoming.—
Cat Cardenas,
Variety,
10 June 2026
-
His command over oral storytelling grips all those who join him on his walking tours of Kelly Ingram Park in downtown Birmingham, the historic epicenter of the nation’s Civil Rights Movement.—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 June 2026
Noun
-
Those exhibits named names — and not just fired Trooper Michael Proctor, the lead investigator against her, and Canton Police Sgt Sean Goode, who resigned last week.—
Flint McColgan,
Boston Herald,
7 June 2026
-
In 1837, soap maker James Gamble and candlemaker William Procter became business partners, creating the company that still carries their names today.—
Amelia Lucas,Melissa Repko,
CNBC,
7 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Handles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/handles. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
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