handful
noun
hand·ful
ˈhan(d)-ˌfu̇l 
plural handfuls
ˈhan(d)-ˌfu̇lz
also handsful
ˈhan(d)z-ˌfu̇l
also handsful
ˈhan(d)z-ˌfu̇l
1
: as much or as many as the hand will grasp
2
: a small quantity or number
a handful of people
3
: as much as one can manage
the kids are quite a handful
Examples of handful in a Sentence
The children collected seashells by the handful.
Our dog is a real handful.
Recent Examples on the Web
The difference comes down to a handful of low-effort tweaks and a few very specific travel accessories that do the heavy lifting.
—
Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 16 May 2026
There have been a handful of artists who have been working for years, if not decades, who have landed on the tally, and one of the most successful stars to bridge these styles is playing catch up.
—Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 16 May 2026
Even if only two of his shows get nominated, Lawrence will have accomplished a rare feat in Emmys history, one that only a handful of TV legends have achieved before him.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 16 May 2026
Still, several reports raise new questions, including a handful of incidents where the system’s decisions or reactions appear less straightforward.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 16 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for handful
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Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 16 May 2026
There have been a handful of artists who have been working for years, if not decades, who have landed on the tally, and one of the most successful stars to bridge these styles is playing catch up.
—Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 16 May 2026
Even if only two of his shows get nominated, Lawrence will have accomplished a rare feat in Emmys history, one that only a handful of TV legends have achieved before him.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 16 May 2026
Still, several reports raise new questions, including a handful of incidents where the system’s decisions or reactions appear less straightforward.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 16 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for handful
Cite this Entry
“Handful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/handful. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
handful
noun
hand·ful
ˈhan(d)-ˌfu̇l
plural handfuls
-ˌfu̇lz
also handsful
ˈhan(d)z-ˌfu̇l
also handsful
ˈhan(d)z-ˌfu̇l
1
: as much or as many as the hand will grasp
a handful of jelly beans
2
: a small quantity or number
a handful of people
3
: as much as one can control or manage
the three babies are quite a handful
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