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 Razorbacks have as many as 30 scholarship players in the portal, and a small handful have already announced their destinations.
—
Tom Murphy, Arkansas Online, 6 Jan. 2026
The inlet closed and reopened a handful of times as sand traveled south and hurricanes altered its width and flow over the following years.
—Jack Prator, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Jan. 2026
That means even gold holdings that may have once felt modest — a few coins, a handful of bars or a retirement allocation — could represent a much larger share of your net worth.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 5 Jan. 2026
More than 66 countries now offer digital nomad visas in 2025, up sharply from just a handful a few years ago.
—Taylor Haught, Sacbee.com, 5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for handful
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Tom Murphy, Arkansas Online, 6 Jan. 2026
The inlet closed and reopened a handful of times as sand traveled south and hurricanes altered its width and flow over the following years.
—Jack Prator, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Jan. 2026
That means even gold holdings that may have once felt modest — a few coins, a handful of bars or a retirement allocation — could represent a much larger share of your net worth.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 5 Jan. 2026
More than 66 countries now offer digital nomad visas in 2025, up sharply from just a handful a few years ago.
—Taylor Haught, Sacbee.com, 5 Jan. 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 6 Jan. 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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