hand over 1 of 2

Definition of hand overnext
1
as in to relinquish
to give (something) over to the control or possession of another usually under duress the police officer ordered the suspect to hand over his weapons

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2
as in to provide
to put (something) into the possession of someone for use or consumption in response to a desperate plea, we handed over all our extra blankets and pillows to the homeless shelter

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3
4
as in to pass
to shift possession of (something) from one person to another hand over that screwdriver, will you please?

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handover

2 of 2

noun

as in surrender
the usually forced yielding of one's person or possessions to the control of another though the handover of my wallet was painful, it was better than getting shot by some trigger-happy punk

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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 hand over
Verb
The man was booked for indecent exposure, and eventually handed over to ICE. — Jonathan Blitzer, New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2026 While some states voluntarily handed over the information, the department sued 30 states and the District of Columbia to obtain it -- lawsuits that so far have been unsuccessful. — Arkansas Online, 20 Oct. 2026
Noun
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and his Bulgarian counterpart Rumen Radev attended a ceremony at Thessaloniki's Museum of Byzantine Civilization, where the remains were kept, before the handover. — Costas Kantouris, Arkansas Online, 4 Oct. 2026 Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and his Bulgarian counterpart Rumen Radev attended a ceremony at Thessaloniki’s Museum of Byzantine Civilization, where the remains were kept, before the handover. — ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hand over
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hand over
Verb
  • She was only forced to relinquish the title when she was drafted to the Raw brand.
    — Ryan Gaydos OutKick, FOXNews.com, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Moon, meanwhile, is struggling at school but on the precipice of adulthood; as the young woman begins to make her own decisions in life, Yue must relinquish a degree of maternal responsibility.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Social media videos of him hitting tennis balls and baseballs while listing his policy proposals have provided a font of online mockery.
    — Philip Elliott, Time, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Paris police said one person died of a heart attack, without providing details.
    — SYLVIE CORBET, Arkansas Online, 19 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The claw would drop, close on a bear’s head and lift it, then either lose its grip or hand you something else.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Position grades were brutal, with F’s handed to the quarterback, running back and offensive line — Dak Prescott finished 34 of 54 for 258 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions, and the backfield mustered just 41 rushing yards on 13 carries.
    — Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • When threats don’t speed wins In the pursuit of surrender, or at least a ceasefire, the promise of crushing defeat has rarely been enticing.
    — Anna Mulrine Grobe, Christian Science Monitor, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Winston Churchill did not surrender to Germany, nor should Zelenskyy surrender to Putin.
    — Alfred H. Moses, Baltimore Sun, 13 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Musk reportedly ordered a slowdown of the military-grade Starlink service used by Ukraine, limiting the speeds at which connected hardware could travel and rendering some offensive and interceptor drones largely ineffective.
    — Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Authorities confirmed that the water at the plant had not been chlorinated for about three weeks, rendering it unsafe for human consumption.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 21 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Most questions were friendly and business-centric, but Marshall also gave his opinion on several polarizing issues, including federal immigration enforcement, tariffs and the war in Iran.
    — Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Four turboprop engines power the aircraft, giving it the performance needed for demanding military transport operations.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • One flight last week leaving from al-Qassim airport north of Riyadh to Geneva, sold for €94,000 ($105,000), compared with a price of about €60,000 ($67,000) before the closure of the main airport in Riyadh.
    — Melissa Hancock, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
  • This serving tray combines natural rattan with an elevated floral pattern filled with roses and autumn leaves atop a stainless steel base.
    — Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 21 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • According to the Philadelphia Police Department's October 9 statement, the submission was flagged as spam and never forwarded to its Real-Time Crime Center for investigative review or distribution.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Martinez-Olguin took the matter under submission after the hearing and is expected to make a decision in the coming days.
    — Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 19 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Hand over.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hand%20over. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

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