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
Andrew Graham
july 3,
Sacbee.com,
3 July 2026
Oman has said that any agreement will comply with international law, although the prospect of a financial system on a waterway that typically handles around 20% of the world's oil has sparked alarm.
—
Sam Meredith,
CNBC,
3 July 2026
Illinois The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) handles transgender athlete participation through a formal policy, requiring students to submit documentation to their school to compete in accordance with their gender identity.
—
Jackson Thompson Outkick,
FOXNews.com,
3 July 2026
Jaclyn Sienna India, founder of Sienna Charles, a concierge firm that handles the travel and lifestyle needs of clients worth a billion dollars or more, says the best offerings tend to be more intimate than extravagant.
—
Merle Ginsberg,
HollywoodReporter,
3 July 2026
In many agencies, a new structure is emerging where AI now handles routine production tasks faster than any junior team could.
—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2026
Dehydration affects how your body handles heat after dark and can leave you overheating in your sleep.
—
Hanna Wickes,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
1 July 2026
The Department of State, which handles visa applications from abroad, has not released its full 2025 data, but the numbers through September show a similar picture.
—
Ignacio Calderon,
USA Today,
23 June 2026
When frequent movement breaks become a lifestyle habit, the cumulative effect is a body that moves better, feels better and handles stress more effectively.
—
Dana Santas,
CNN Money,
22 June 2026
Hanna Wickes,
Sacbee.com,
2 July 2026
Other modifications include a one-piece floor, improved hold-down handles and reduced bulk, Steber said.
—
Jack Dura,
Los Angeles Times,
2 July 2026
Many basic jump ropes are $10-$15, while those with extra features like ergonomic handles or ball bearings cost closer to $30.
—
Bestreviews,
Mercury News,
2 July 2026
Authorities traced the handles and identified Fuller and Brown, the affidavit states.
—
Harriet Ramos,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
2 July 2026
The durable, wood-like texture is UV- and weather-resistant, and has handles on the side.
—
Terri Williams,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2026
But besides hotel coffee makers and practically anything in a bathroom, other notoriously contaminated hotel surfaces include telephones, light switches, refrigerator handles, coffee mugs, and doorknobs.
—
Joey Skladany,
Travel + Leisure,
30 June 2026
The chassis itself leans heavily toward function over luxury aesthetics, with thick ventilation channels, recessed handles, dense connector layouts, and a distinctly industrial feel throughout.
—
Michael Lydick,
PC Magazine,
29 June 2026
Guest bedrooms are equally considered with modern light fixtures and deluxe walk-in closets with brass handles.
—
Demetrius Simms,
Robb Report,
29 June 2026
Verb
Every July 4, the communications center in Rancho Cordova handles its highest call volume.
—
Andrew Graham
july 3,
Sacbee.com,
3 July 2026
Oman has said that any agreement will comply with international law, although the prospect of a financial system on a waterway that typically handles around 20% of the world's oil has sparked alarm.
—
Sam Meredith,
CNBC,
3 July 2026
Illinois The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) handles transgender athlete participation through a formal policy, requiring students to submit documentation to their school to compete in accordance with their gender identity.
—
Jackson Thompson Outkick,
FOXNews.com,
3 July 2026
Jaclyn Sienna India, founder of Sienna Charles, a concierge firm that handles the travel and lifestyle needs of clients worth a billion dollars or more, says the best offerings tend to be more intimate than extravagant.
—
Merle Ginsberg,
HollywoodReporter,
3 July 2026
In many agencies, a new structure is emerging where AI now handles routine production tasks faster than any junior team could.
—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2026
Dehydration affects how your body handles heat after dark and can leave you overheating in your sleep.
—
Hanna Wickes,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
1 July 2026
The Department of State, which handles visa applications from abroad, has not released its full 2025 data, but the numbers through September show a similar picture.
—
Ignacio Calderon,
USA Today,
23 June 2026
When frequent movement breaks become a lifestyle habit, the cumulative effect is a body that moves better, feels better and handles stress more effectively.
—
Dana Santas,
CNN Money,
22 June 2026
Noun
Attendees swap numbers and Instagram handles, but friendships and unexpected community ties form just as often.
—
Hanna Wickes,
Sacbee.com,
2 July 2026
Other modifications include a one-piece floor, improved hold-down handles and reduced bulk, Steber said.
—
Jack Dura,
Los Angeles Times,
2 July 2026
Many basic jump ropes are $10-$15, while those with extra features like ergonomic handles or ball bearings cost closer to $30.
—
Bestreviews,
Mercury News,
2 July 2026
Authorities traced the handles and identified Fuller and Brown, the affidavit states.
—
Harriet Ramos,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
2 July 2026
The durable, wood-like texture is UV- and weather-resistant, and has handles on the side.
—
Terri Williams,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2026
But besides hotel coffee makers and practically anything in a bathroom, other notoriously contaminated hotel surfaces include telephones, light switches, refrigerator handles, coffee mugs, and doorknobs.
—
Joey Skladany,
Travel + Leisure,
30 June 2026
The chassis itself leans heavily toward function over luxury aesthetics, with thick ventilation channels, recessed handles, dense connector layouts, and a distinctly industrial feel throughout.
—
Michael Lydick,
PC Magazine,
29 June 2026
Guest bedrooms are equally considered with modern light fixtures and deluxe walk-in closets with brass handles.
—
Demetrius Simms,
Robb Report,
29 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for handles
Verb
-
In urban areas, municipal departments run things, while the Texas Department of Public Safety frequently manages highway collisions.
-
The nonprofit public-private partnership manages the municipal district with services that include infrastructure planning, community engagement and more.
Verb
-
Supported by a gifted cast that includes Palestinian filmmaker Mohammad Bakri as a PLO commander, Riklis treats both sides with an equal amount of humanity and respect.
-
Ciba treats them not as sweet peripheral matter, but as records of reading under pressure.
Verb
-
With the expansion, AGH now operates three cath labs, three EP labs, two multiprocedural rooms and a hybrid surgical suite that can be used for either cath or EP procedures.
-
California typically operates with a spending deficit because Democrats spend more money than the state brings in.
Verb
-
Milshtein previously served as adviser to COGAT, which supervises civilian policy in the West Bank and in the Gaza Strip.
-
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.
Verb
-
The collection also accepts medical sharps, including diabetic needles, blood lancets, insulin pens, epi-pens, syringes, expired over-the-counter medicines and non-narcotic prescriptions.
-
That pressure should be maintained until Iran either fully accepts the three core conditions or the regime itself faces the prospect of collapse.
Verb
-
There are approximately 3,800 public highway/rail crossings in Missouri, but state funding only allows for improvements to around 30 to 35 crossings per year, according to the Missouri Department of Transportation’s (MODOT) Office of Multimodal Operations, which oversees rail services in the state.
-
In addition to his literary career, Sarris oversees the multibillion-dollar Graton Resort & Casino, and uses gaming revenue for tribal housing, education and activism, even as the project exposes tensions over wealth, power and belonging in Sonoma County.
Noun
-
The loudest crash of gravitational waves ever heard has offered us insight into event horizons, the boundaries beyond which nothing can escape the grips of black holes.
-
For me, the purpose of art is to come to grips with the demons of the past, present, and future; to give form to chaos; to enable us to process fear; and to conceive of a different, more humane future.
Noun
-
The five names to know for 2027 Five of the potential contenders currently sit on the Charlotte City Council.
-
Staff weathering the storm The Cubs are more than halfway through the season and playing around a 90-win pace, yet their clubhouse often looks like a scene out of spring training, with new names, unfamiliar faces, and players coming and going.
Cite this Entry
“Handles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/handles. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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