ˈhan(d)-tə-ˈhand 
ˈhan-də-
: involving physical contact or close enough range for physical contact
hand-to-hand fighting
: at very close range
Examples of hand-to-hand in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Steve Reaven, Chicago Tribune, 5 Feb. 2026
Notwithstanding a temperament ill-suited for hand-to-hand combat, Jefferson was unable to restrain himself from pushing his grand recipe for public happiness.
—Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
Nell Freudenberger, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
The stories passed hand to hand, ear to ear, breath to breath.
—Maya Al Zaben, Literary Hub, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hand-to-hand
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Adjective
Treutelaar also has the typical tools, including ultrafast hand-to-hand snap times and pinpoint accuracy.
—Steve Reaven, Chicago Tribune, 5 Feb. 2026
Notwithstanding a temperament ill-suited for hand-to-hand combat, Jefferson was unable to restrain himself from pushing his grand recipe for public happiness.
—Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
Adverb
Her ambiguous identity was unusual in a social hierarchy so rigid that there was even a clandestine list, numbered one through sixty: a crumpled piece of notebook paper passed from hand to hand that ranked us according to popularity.
—Nell Freudenberger, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
The stories passed hand to hand, ear to ear, breath to breath.
—Maya Al Zaben, Literary Hub, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hand-to-hand
Cite this Entry
“Hand-to-hand.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hand-to-hand. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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