hankies

plural of hankie
as in handkerchiefs
a small, often square piece of material that is used for personal hygiene purposes held a hankie up to his nose and blew vigorously

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hankies
Noun
  • People’s handkerchiefs would come away from their foreheads stained with soot.
    — Daliah Singer, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Caught unprepared for chemical warfare and lacking standard-issue gas masks, Allied soldiers improvised by covering their mouths and noses with handkerchiefs or pieces of cloth drenched in water or urine.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 19 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • One is pink and the other is ochre, with everything from sheets and sinks to towels and tiles obediently adhering to their respective palettes.
    — Rosie Conroy, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Sep. 2026
  • As for cooling him down, the players said the only things available were towels from a cooler, water from the bottles and a garden hose.
    — Scott Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 29 Sep. 2026
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Hankies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hankies. Accessed 4 Oct. 2026.

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