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
The law firm that filed the suit on behalf of the insurance company handles workers’ compensation cases, a representative said. — Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 31 Oct. 2026 The facility had several unclean surfaces including under the stand-up freezers, garbage can handles and a speed rack. — Sacbee.com, 30 Oct. 2026 The chatbot handles search, discovery and the try-on inside one window. — Lauren Schuster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Oct. 2026 With agentic checkout, an AI agent handles the entire buying step of an online purchase, from cart management to payment to confirmation, without the shopper leaving the chat window. — Lauren Schuster, Kansas City Star, 29 Oct. 2026 Climbing stairs challenges several aspects of your physical fitness and can provide insight into how well your body handles everyday movements. — Kristen Gasnick, Verywell Health, 29 Oct. 2026 What locked chats don’t do Locking a chat changes where a conversation appears and how it’s opened—not how OpenAI handles it. — Fernanda Tronco, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026 Research a potential lender's track record — its Better Business Bureau rating and customer reviews can give you a sense of how a lender handles applications, payments and problems that arise after borrowing. — Dan Avery, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026 Either way, the retailer remains the seller of record and handles order confirmations and customer support. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2026
Noun
His list includes countertops, nightstands, faucet handles, remotes, phones, fridge handles, kids’ toys and security keypads. — Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 6 Nov. 2026 Nextool rounds out the W20 Pro's toolset with a pry bar built into one of the handles. — New Atlas, 5 Nov. 2026 The Morris Marina-like door handles open with a pleasing mechanical action. — Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 4 Nov. 2026 Use a microfiber cloth and a suitable household cleaner to spruce up cabinet fronts, handles, and appliance exteriors, paying extra attention to areas around the stove where grease tends to collect. — Brigitt Earley, Martha Stewart, 4 Nov. 2026 The bag’s flexible tubular handles elongated the piece and balanced out the overall silhouette. — Julia Teti, Footwear News, 4 Nov. 2026 Cups, spoon handles in bulk foods are lying down in the food. — Arkansas Online, 2 Nov. 2026 The dump sink faucet was unclean with heavy residue accumulation around the faucet fixtures and handles. — Sacbee.com, 30 Oct. 2026 Because most agents still require human approval before finalizing an order, shoppers keep the final call even as AI handles search, comparison and cart work. — Lauren Schuster, Miami Herald, 29 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for handles
Verb
  • This book manages to deliver on the promise of the jaunt without losing any of the rigor.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Her lips were frosted with a sheen of seashell pink, which manages to be both wintry and summery at the same time.
    — Kara Nesvig, Allure, 2 Nov. 2026
Verb
  • Barn jackets suit a recipient who treats outerwear as the statement piece of an outfit.
    — Ashley Lynch, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Brazil’s electoral prosecutor’s office told the court that Meta had not fully complied with the rulings, including a requirement to explain how its AI tool treats content about each candidate.
    — Molly A. Wallace, Fortune, 4 Nov. 2026
Verb
  • The company says its sodium-ion platform operates with passive cooling, eliminating the need for those systems.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Technically not in Lofoten, but well worth extending your trip for, Kvitnes Gard is a historic estate in Hadsel, Vesterålen, that operates as a 15-room farm hotel.
    — Arati Menon, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Although labs such as DeepSeek and Moonshot AI are private, the state supervises them at every stage and, increasingly, finances them.
    — NIALL FERGUSON, Foreign Affairs, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Request the treating physician’s name and qualifications, then ask who performs each stage and how the physician supervises the team.
    — Kaitlyn Gomez, Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • When Lear disowns her, the King of France accepts Cordelia as his wife and takes her back to his homeland.
    — Langdon Hammer, New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2026
  • When Danny is assigned to create a holiday scrapbook for his mom, Michaela reluctantly accepts help from his free-spirited substitute teacher, Bryan (Morgan), whose creativity clashes with her need for preciseness and control.
    — Rachel LaBonte, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The Organization and Guidance Department, the party’s most powerful agency, oversees appointments, inspections, and discipline everywhere—in Pyongyang as well as rural villages.
    — Jieun Baek, Foreign Affairs, 30 Oct. 2026
  • According to Monopol, authorities are now looking for witnesses, while the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden (SKD), which oversees the city’s state art collections, has increased security at the museum.
    — Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 29 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • More news El Niño flooding grips Newport Beach, forcing residents and city officials to rethink their relationship with the ocean.
    — Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2026
  • In the wake of October 7, antisemitism has been an issue the BBC has struggled to get to grips with and documentary strand Storyville is in the eye of the storm.
    — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 26 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • That kind of multiple demands absolute perfection, and recent weeks have shown exactly what happens to heavily weighted tech names that fail to deliver a flawless quarter, Alphabet and Amazon among them.
    — Michael Khouw, CNBC, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Companies with nearly identical names were later incorporated in Slovakia, where business records list Dorofeyeva as the sole or co-owner.
    — Megan Molteni, STAT, 2 Nov. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Handles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/handles. Accessed 7 Nov. 2026.

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