well-handled

adjective

Definition of well-handlednext
as in worn

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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 well-handled That scene was potentially such a minefield, but so well-handled. — Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 10 Aug. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for well-handled
  1. worn
  2. aged
  3. shopworn
  4. shabby
  5. spoiled
  6. old
  7. beat-up
  8. stale
Adjective
  • Susie showed me the large black shoe and its pair, women’s shoes, sturdy, a little worn, and not really very attractive.
    — Lydia Davis, New Yorker, 10 Sep. 2026
  • These ideas will help make your worn laminate countertops look almost new again, without the hefty price tag.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of worn
Adjective
  • Lewis Miley, the 20-year-old academy graduate, agreed a contract extension in May and Newcastle signed eight players all aged 24 or under over the summer.
    — Chris Waugh, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • The strike killed a husband and wife, alongside their two daughters, aged 8 and 12.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of aged
Adjective
  • Perhaps most astonishingly, the movie manages to make creepy clowns — that shopworn trope — genuinely frightening again.
    — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 7 July 2026
  • The Broncos look slow, sloppy, shopworn and stale.
    — Joe Nguyen, Denver Post, 6 Nov. 2025
Definition of shopworn
Adjective
  • Not too shabby for a series that premiered to mixed reviews and was canceled after just three seasons.
    — Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • But returning home after some time with Ye-ji and Sang-woo, their place suddenly looks shabby and cheap.
    — Jessica Kiang, Variety, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of shabby
Adjective
  • None of its marks seem to maintain their integrity for more than an inch or two without being fretted or spoiled.
    — Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
  • People are throwing out spoiled food and lining up for hot meals, according to reports, while searching for laundromats, working Wi-Fi, cleaning wipes and diapers.
    — Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of spoiled
Adjective
  • The sheriff's office's drone was used to assist in checking the approximately 28-acre property and helped identify old kennel and animal-confinement areas.
    — River Valley Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Online, 9 Sep. 2026
  • The 27-year-old pre-training researcher’s dramatic resignation has fired off a provocative warning on X that instantly sent ripples across the tech sector.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of old
Adjective
  • Armed with a beat-up van, a trunk full of trapping gear and a cohort of helpers, Jacquie Navratil leads Luxe Paws, a trap-and-release network that has helped more than 19,000 cats since 2012.
    — Adam Tschorn, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • People are buying chore coats that actually look like they’ve been used for the namesake—the more beat-up the better.
    — Ashley Poskin, Martha Stewart, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of beat-up
Adjective
  • Change was desperately required at Newcastle, given the team felt stale during the final half-season of Howe’s tenure.
    — Chris Waugh, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Indeed, the previous template for summer movie success — massive budget for IP that the whole world has heard of, traditional marketing and then cross your fingers — felt stale and misguided at times.
    — Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of stale

Browse Nearby Words

well-grounded
well-handled
wellhead
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Well-handled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/well-handled. Accessed 13 Sep. 2026.

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