as in few
a small number
only a handful of people signed up for the wintertime hike
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Recent Examples of handful
The five members of Michigan’s iconic 1991 recruiting class, who led the Wolverines to the Final Four in 1992 and ’93, have reunited only a handful of times.
—
Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
There have been a handful of public-lands related PACs before, but only in recent years.
—Natalie Krebs, Outdoor Life, 3 Apr. 2026
Rescues and medical incidents are frequent occurrences due to the extreme conditions on Everest and its high altitude, with a handful of deaths reported every year.
—Manish Paudel, NBC news, 3 Apr. 2026
Over the years, she’s owned or rented a handful of properties in both Southern California and her native New York City, but now prefers the calm of the West Coast to the bustle of the East.
—Joyce Chen, Architectural Digest, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for handful
Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
There have been a handful of public-lands related PACs before, but only in recent years.
—Natalie Krebs, Outdoor Life, 3 Apr. 2026
Rescues and medical incidents are frequent occurrences due to the extreme conditions on Everest and its high altitude, with a handful of deaths reported every year.
—Manish Paudel, NBC news, 3 Apr. 2026
Over the years, she’s owned or rented a handful of properties in both Southern California and her native New York City, but now prefers the calm of the West Coast to the bustle of the East.
—Joyce Chen, Architectural Digest, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for handful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for handful
couple
Noun
-
The season starts with 16 single contestants, and the last couple standing not only leaves the boat with a new boo, but gets a $100,000 trip around the world.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Those who knew the couple told the Herald there were no glaring red flags.—
Amanda Rosa,
Miami Herald,
4 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Handful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/handful. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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