hand over 1 of 2

Definition of hand overnext
1
as in to relinquish
to give (something) over to the control or possession of another usually under duress the police officer ordered the suspect to hand over his weapons

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in to provide
to put (something) into the possession of someone for use or consumption in response to a desperate plea, we handed over all our extra blankets and pillows to the homeless shelter

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
4
as in to pass
to shift possession of (something) from one person to another hand over that screwdriver, will you please?

Synonyms & Similar Words

handover

2 of 2

noun

as in surrender
the usually forced yielding of one's person or possessions to the control of another though the handover of my wallet was painful, it was better than getting shot by some trigger-happy punk

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 over
Verb
Prince William will hand over the trophy to the winning captain. Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 16 May 2026 And, in 2025, the family handed over its geothermal water rights to Boise — a donation that the city said quadrupled its geothermal capacity. Mark Dee may 15, Idaho Statesman, 15 May 2026
Noun
Whether or not talk of a revival of The Apprentice at Amazon and a generational handover is real, speculation finally has made its way to the Oval Office. Dominic Patten, Deadline, 30 Apr. 2026 Christopher Nolan recently shared his side of the Interstellar handover in a conversation with Timothée Chalamet, who, in one of his first film roles, starred as Coop's son, Tom. Derek Lawrence, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hand over
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hand over
Verb
  • There are outs not to be relinquished on the bases.
    Gabriel Burns, AJC.com, 15 May 2026
  • Companies that violate the law could be forced to relinquish their earnings to a federal youth sports fund, from which the money would be used to reduce participation costs for families, provide scholarships and keep local sporting venues free for community use.
    Kenny Jacoby, USA Today, 14 May 2026
Verb
  • The supple Italian leather, sugarcane midsole, and durable TPR outsoles are designed to provide hours of comfort and long-lasting wear on those warm summer days.
    Rachel Trujillo, PEOPLE, 23 May 2026
  • For summer-flowering perennials that provide plenty of nectar, consider rudbeckia, purple coneflower, bee balm, milkweed and penstemon, as well as some non-native plants such as catmint and lavender.
    Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 23 May 2026
Verb
  • Even Manny has to hand it to him, but Hartman proves he's matured and insists that saving the day was a team effort.
    Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 23 May 2026
  • The fact that this racist thug has been handed policing power by Netanyahu says more about the state of Israel’s democracy and political values—and in particular about the prime minister’s values—than many Israelis might like to admit.
    Avi Issacharoff, The Atlantic, 22 May 2026
Noun
  • The conditions of the surrender permanently ban Szabo from holding a real estate license in North Carolina.
    Amber Gaudet, Charlotte Observer, 14 May 2026
  • Hamas has linked weapon surrender to Israeli troop withdrawals, as Israel’s military continues occupying over half of Gaza and has escalated strikes in recent days.
    Julia Frankel, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026
Verb
  • The beautiful array of their divergent sizes and pelts coalesced as oils on canvas and rendered their exploits almost dreamlike.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 May 2026
  • Nvidia’s GPUs, first developed in 1999 for rendering graphics on computers and gaming consoles, function by breaking complex computing problems into smaller tasks and resolving them simultaneously.
    Matthew Chin, CNBC, 19 May 2026
Verb
  • Simple and streamlined, this linen tank top is one of the most versatile additions to any travel wardrobe—I’m even eyeing it in a few different colors, given its affordable price tag.
    Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 20 May 2026
  • Virginia Governor Robert Dinwiddie gave him Washington’s name.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 May 2026
Verb
  • Soon after leaving school, the organization Fighting Words changed that for me.
    Via Riverhead, Literary Hub, 19 May 2026
  • Rather than leave existing clients in the lurch, Lee allowed IDW to essentially inherit those accounts, allowing the fledgling business to become profitable within its first year of operation.
    Josh Weiss, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
Noun
  • Wild-eyed in a register that ranges from dreamy to terrified to stunned into submission, her performance is the most honestly felt thing here.
    Guy Lodge, Variety, 18 May 2026
  • But at 44 years old and 17 years removed from her last MMA fight, a quick submission was always a realistic possibility.
    Bobby Burack OutKick, FOXNews.com, 18 May 2026

Browse Nearby Words

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hand over.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hand%20over. Accessed 23 May. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster