Synonyms of hands

hands 1 of 2

noun

plural of hand

1

as in control

the ability to direct the course of something

the final decision is in your hands

Synonyms & Similar Words

• control
• grasp
• arm
• direction
• power
• authority
• management
• grip
• government
• administration
• operation
• supervision
• guidance
• hold
• clutch
• jurisdiction
• command
• helm
• mastery
• dominion
• running
• regulation
• domination
• might
• sway
• governance
• oversight
• superintendence

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• weakness
• helplessness
• powerlessness
• impotence
• impotency

2

as in enjoyment

the fact or state of having (something) at one's disposal

I'd like to get my hands on that vintage Cadillac convertible

Synonyms & Similar Words

• enjoyment
• control
• possession
• keeping
• ownership
• power
• dominion
• proprietorship
• mastery
• retention
• confiscation
• command
• claiming
• procurement
• authority
• repossession
• commandeering
• collaring

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• relinquishment
• surrendering
• dispossession
• nonpossession
• transferal

hands

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of hand

1

as in provides

to put (something) into the possession of someone for use or consumption

was happy to hand her grandmother's cookie recipes to the parish ladies to put in their cookbook

Synonyms & Similar Words

• provides
• supplies
• gives
• feeds
• furnishes
• delivers
• distributes
• hands over
• portions
• dispenses
• deals (out)
• transfers
• plies (with)
• apportions
• administers
• doles out
• allocates
• deeds
• parcels (out)
• assigns
• metes (out)
• prorates
• cedes
• makes over

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• holds (back)
• keeps (back)
• retains
• reserves
• maintains
• saves
• withholds
• preserves
• conserves
• keeps up

2

as in passes

to shift possession of (something) from one person to another

the clerk handed her the receipt

Synonyms & Similar Words

• passes
• reaches
• transfers
• fingers
• gives
• hands over
• bucks
• carries
• paws
• handles
• relays
• renders
• yields
• delivers
• releases
• bears
• gives up
• surrenders
• relinquishes
• turns over
• cedes

3

as in leaves

to put (something) into the possession or safekeeping of another

handed me her bundles while she fished for her house keys

Synonyms & Similar Words

• leaves
• transfers
• delegates
• gives
• entrusts
• passes
• delivers
• relinquishes
• trusts
• reposes
• vests
• grants
• turns over
• recommends
• loans
• commends
• confides
• hands over
• commits
• transmits
• consigns
• gives over
• lends
• submits
• supplies
• distributes
• bequeaths
• deals (out)
• assigns
• confers
• divides
• wills
• dispenses
• turns in
• hands in
• surrenders
• yields
• releases
• furnishes
• advances
• hands down
• hands on
• disperses
• redelivers
• retransfers
• recommits
• retransmits

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• holds
• keeps
• retains
• owns
• reserves
• possesses
• receives
• takes
• holds back
• accepts
• withholds
• takes in
• occupies
• detains
• takes over

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of hands

Noun

Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani, a Republican, also opposed Mamdani's attendance, though the two shook hands there Friday. — Arkansas Online, 12 Sep. 2026

Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani, a Republican, also inveighed against Mamdani attending the remembrance, though the two shook hands there Friday. — Jennifer Peltz, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026

The camera isolates everyone’s hands, the plating, and the micro-adjustments. — Henry Metz, Rolling Stone, 11 Sep. 2026

The right support could strengthen the work without taking it out of your hands. — Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 11 Sep. 2026

And Germie Bernard should eventually be a nice fit in a West Coast offense thanks to his run-after-catch ability and sure hands. — Mike Defabo, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026

When an apple travels from the farm to a consumer's hands, the price tag reflects far more than just the fruit itself, accounting for labor, packaging, transportation, and energy costs. — CNBC, 11 Sep. 2026

But as the years passed and the historic farm in Gladstone underwent expansions and ownership changes, eventually landing in the hands of the city, it was transformed into a historical landmark and museum. — Jenna Ebbers, Kansas City Star, 4 Sep. 2026

The lid and outside of the container are grippy to increase stability for little hands. — Melissa Knific, Bon Appetit Magazine, 4 Sep. 2026

Verb

Wayne picks Gregory up at a motel, in Mobile, Alabama, and hands him a briefcase containing, among other things, a gun. — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2026

The consultant reasons by filling a notebook with calculations, then hands you a one-sentence answer, and keeps the notebook. — Adam Fish, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2026

One day, a stranger hands you a tablet and asks you to identify the correct words in a passage or find information in a chart. — Jennifer D. Kobrin, The Conversation, 25 Aug. 2026

This effectively hands the Russian state control of the owner’s property, property rights and shares. — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2026

Then the raccoon gets the gift of a lifetime when another fan hands him a full hot dog. — Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 21 Aug. 2026

Catalyst mines a company's ticket history for recurring problems, checks what the connected systems' APIs allow and generates the code, workflows and permissions to automate them, then hands the result to an administrator for approval. — Victor Dey, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2026

Instead of keeping the fortune, Lucky hands the seed phrase and the $10 million over to Billie. — Max Gao, Variety, 19 Aug. 2026

When Wayne hands her a gun to take care of Lucky, Priscilla points the weapon at the titular character before changing course and killing Wayne. — Brenton Blanchet, PEOPLE, 19 Aug. 2026

Phrases Containing hands

• hands down
• laying on of hands
• on all hands
• wash one's hands of