hand over

verb

handed over; handing over; hands over
Synonyms of hand overnext

transitive verb

: to yield control of
handover
ˈhan-ˌdō-vər How to pronounce hand over (audio)
noun

Synonyms of hand over

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Examples of hand over in a Sentence

the police officer ordered the suspect to hand over his weapons in response to a desperate plea, we handed over all our extra blankets and pillows to the homeless shelter
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
That agreement called for Hamas to disarm and hand over power to an independent Palestinian administration. — ABC News, 1 Aug. 2026 On Friday, Ramirez was detained by United States Customs and Border Protection at a Royal Caribbean Cruise terminal and handed over to Miami Police. — Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 1 Aug. 2026 The new manager solved the Bang Records problem by walking into a Ninth Avenue warehouse and handing over $20,000 in cash to two mobsters dressed to the nines. — Ryan Craig, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026 Vera handed over 10 boxes, one by one, until her arms were full and teetering. — Eric Boodman, STAT, 31 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for hand over

Word History

First Known Use

1652, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hand over was in 1652

Rhymes for hand over

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Browse Nearby Words

hand out
hand over
hand over fist
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Cite this Entry

“Hand over.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hand%20over. Accessed 3 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

hand over

verb
: to yield control of
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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