sec·ond·hand
ˈse-kən(d)-ˈhand 
1
a
: received from or through an intermediary : borrowed
b
: derivative
secondhand ideas
2
a
: acquired after being used by another : not new
secondhand books
b
: dealing in secondhand merchandise
a secondhand bookstore
1
: at second hand : indirectly
heard about it secondhand
2
: as a secondhand item
bought the couch secondhand
: an intermediate person or means : intermediary
—usually used in the phrase at second hand
: the hand marking seconds on a timepiece
Examples of secondhand in a Sentence
Adjective
a dealer in secondhand furniture
He's always haunting the secondhand shops for bargains.
Recent Examples on the Web
Madeline Mitchell, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2025
But, depending on the brand, cast iron skillets could be worth actual dollars on the secondhand market.
—Heather Bien, Southern Living, 15 Apr. 2025
Bloomberg, Mercury News, 19 Apr. 2025
Meyers, of Minnesota, is 38-years-old now and still buys most things secondhand.
—Madeline Mitchell, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2025
Anthony Demarco, Forbes.com, 1 Apr. 2025
Eternal Time, set on a pedestal, was a version of Clock Piece that had a ticking second hand but no minute or hour hands.
—David Sheff, ARTnews.com, 24 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for secondhand
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Adjective
And secondhand shopping also scratches another itch for younger shoppers: sustainability.
—Madeline Mitchell, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2025
But, depending on the brand, cast iron skillets could be worth actual dollars on the secondhand market.
—Heather Bien, Southern Living, 15 Apr. 2025
Adverb
Dabney is among a group of solar shoppers in the US who opt to buy them secondhand, often through listings on eBay, Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 19 Apr. 2025
Meyers, of Minnesota, is 38-years-old now and still buys most things secondhand.
—Madeline Mitchell, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2025
Noun
Three models form the core collection with a classic black and white dial or a deep blue dial, both with a steel bracelet and a red central second hand.
—Anthony Demarco, Forbes.com, 1 Apr. 2025
Eternal Time, set on a pedestal, was a version of Clock Piece that had a ticking second hand but no minute or hour hands.
—David Sheff, ARTnews.com, 24 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for secondhand
Cite this Entry
“Secondhand.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/secondhand. Accessed 29 Apr. 2025.
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