1
as in side
a certain way in which something appears or may be regarded
on the one hand, you would have more storage space in a larger house, but on the other, you would have more rooms to heat
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in flank
a place, space, or direction away from or beyond a central point or line
tall buildings rose on either hand nothing but wide open space on either hand
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
4
as in employee
one who works for another for wages or a salary
the restaurant always hires several more hands for the busy summer season
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in handwriting
the form or style of a particular person's writing
writes with a flowing, old-fashioned hand
Synonyms & Similar Words
6
as in control
usually hands plural
the ability to direct the course of something
the final decision is in your hands
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in possession
hands plural
the fact or state of having (something) at one's disposal
I'd like to get my hands on that vintage Cadillac convertible
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
8
as in assistance
an act or instance of helping
the downstairs tenant gave us a hand getting the heavy dresser up the stairs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
9
as in expert
a person with a high level of knowledge or skill in a field
once she got her own place, the young woman showed that she was quite a hand at interior decoration
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
10
as in signature
a person's name written in their own handwriting often given to indicate awareness or consent
the subpoena required a lawyer's hand
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in to provide
to put (something) into the possession of someone for use or consumption
was happy to hand her grandmother's cookie recipes to the parish ladies to put in their cookbook
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
3
as in to leave
to put (something) into the possession or safekeeping of another
handed me her bundles while she fished for her house keys
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of hand
Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 5 Feb. 2026
Boating, kayaking, camping, hunting and fishing experts will be on hand, and live demonstrations will be at the Hawg Trough.
—Melinda Moore, Chicago Tribune, 5 Feb. 2026
Matt Byrne, Arkansas Online, 11 Feb. 2026
In October 2025, she was handed a life sentence, the court noting her indifference to the consequences of her actions.
—Daria Tarasova-Markina, CNN Money, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hand
Noun
Such an acquisition will further consolidate control over production and distribution of motion pictures in the hands of a single, dominant, global streaming platform in a market that is already highly concentrated.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 5 Feb. 2026
Boating, kayaking, camping, hunting and fishing experts will be on hand, and live demonstrations will be at the Hawg Trough.
—Melinda Moore, Chicago Tribune, 5 Feb. 2026
Verb
In contrast, Arkansas handed a win to Coach John Calipari on his 67th birthday.
—Matt Byrne, Arkansas Online, 11 Feb. 2026
In October 2025, she was handed a life sentence, the court noting her indifference to the consequences of her actions.
—Daria Tarasova-Markina, CNN Money, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hand
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hand
Noun
-
On the winning side of Wall Street were companies that stand to benefit from big spending by Alphabet and others continuing the AI frenzy.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Interestingly, not on the recruitment side.—
Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson,
semafor.com,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Its Julnâr is full of texture and subtle layers, mixing champagne with sea lettuce, honey, celery, and vodka infused with pine needles.—
Chadner Navarro,
Vogue,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Put the cutting in a jar or vase of water, making sure to keep the needles above the water line.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
However, regulatory pressure on Coupang intensified further after the e-commerce giant suffered a data breach perpetrated by a former Chinese employee in November.—
David Zimmermann,
The Washington Examiner,
6 Feb. 2026
-
However, as our employee survey reminds us every year, people are here to serve the mission, and over the last five years our founders and staff have never wavered in their commitment to helping build a world where every person has the opportunity to live a healthy and productive life.—
Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson,
semafor.com,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Pages and pages filled with Katharine’s small, neat handwriting.—
Natalia Sánchez Loayza,
Scientific American,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Morales Reyes does not fluently speak or write in English, and a sample of his handwriting did not match, Milwaukee Police Detective Timothy Keller testified.—
Kelli Arseneau,
jsonline.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Engineers tracked stability and control across each phase.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Feb. 2026
-
As Farthing was assisting in traffic control, a man approached him from behind and stabbed him in the back, sheriff's office spokesperson Kim Peters said in a news release.—
Matthew Cupelli,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
City had 61 per cent possession and their passing accuracy in the final third was 84 per cent before the break compared to Liverpool’s dismal 43 per cent.—
James Pearce,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
-
The control does not have to be an arrest or physical possession of a person.—
Matthew Cupelli,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Wang won election to the Arcadia City Council in November 2022 with assistance from Sun, who at the time, was her fiance and campaign consultant.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Many brands agreed, however, that financing must be paired with technical assistance, diagnostics, and capacity building, along with strong governance and grievance mechanisms to ensure transparency.—
Mayu Saini,
Sourcing Journal,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
There's no exact cause known for the rise in cancers among young people, according to experts, but researchers are trying to figure it out.—
Alyssa Goldberg,
USA Today,
12 Feb. 2026
-
Overall, however, experts say there is little regulatory oversight for baby foods sold in the United States.—
Sandee LaMotte,
CNN Money,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hand.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hand. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
