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

In Guadagnino’s hands, Artificial zooms in on the interpersonal relationships that have global reverberations. — E. Alex Jung, Vulture, 2 Oct. 2026

Some shots dwell on the band member’s hands working their instruments. — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 2 Oct. 2026

Regardless, De Luca, never one to sit on his hands, decided to go head on and called Greenstein. — Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 2 Oct. 2026

But the cold, analytical qualities typical of both science and documentary film give way to something tender and embodied in Johnson’s hands. — Emily Watlington, ARTnews.com, 2 Oct. 2026

Survivors said that not only were people fighting with their hands, several people were seriously injured by a machete. — David Goodhue october 2, Miami Herald, 2 Oct. 2026

Apply a thin layer of Dijon mustard with your hands, massaging it into the meat. — ABC News, 2 Oct. 2026

An employee was seen using their bare hands to push over the sweet potato waffle fries. — Rashad Alexander, Kansas City Star, 2 Oct. 2026

If those hands could come together — forming, say, a musical episode where George (Morgan Spector) and Bertha Russell (Carrie Coon) hosted a caroling competition to benefit laid off railroad workers — then ta-da! — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 25 Sep. 2026

Verb

In a disrupted market, the leaders who come out ahead are the ones willing to step into uncertainty before anyone hands them a map. — Drew McLellan, Forbes.com, 2 Oct. 2026

Quarterback Patrick Mahomes hands the ball off to Walker who begins to scamper to the left. — Miami Herald, 1 Oct. 2026

The School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play all but hands us an instruction manual. — Greg Evans, Deadline, 28 Sep. 2026

And with that shift comes a different columnist, as Joe Reid hands the newsletter reins over to Nate Jones. — Joe Reid, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2026

Young children need the chance to struggle with a question before someone — or something — hands them an answer. — Dr. Edith Bracho-Sanchez, CNN Money, 21 Sep. 2026

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

Phrases Containing hands

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