variants
also handsful
as in couples
a small number
only a handful of people signed up for the wintertime hike
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Recent Examples of handfuls
There are rational questions about the wisdom of spending so much money to fling handfuls of people into deep space at great risk and far outside the chance of rescue.
—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Apr. 2026
With models trailed by porters toting handfuls of monogrammed luggage?
—Rosie Jarman, Vogue, 16 Mar. 2026
Sprinkle a few handfuls of wood ashes around your hydrangea in early spring and water it in.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 4 Feb. 2026
Drop handfuls evenly over the top of the compost pile, moisten with water, and mix it in with a rake or shovel.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 3 Feb. 2026
Add a few handfuls of compost and mix everything thoroughly.
—Rae Ford, Martha Stewart, 15 Jan. 2026
And with two handfuls of books becoming movies or TV shows in 2026, the trend shows no sign of slowing down.
—Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 14 Jan. 2026
Yet their early work still feels somehow more atmospheric than their later work where atmosphere is the focus, with a real sense of fear that Neverland can’t quite conjure for all its handfuls of dust.
—Daniel Bromfield, Pitchfork, 8 Jan. 2026
Police said three masked suspects committed that robbery and pepper-sprayed an employee before escaping with handfuls of merchandise.
—Rick Hurd, Mercury News, 22 Dec. 2025
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Apr. 2026
With models trailed by porters toting handfuls of monogrammed luggage?
—Rosie Jarman, Vogue, 16 Mar. 2026
Sprinkle a few handfuls of wood ashes around your hydrangea in early spring and water it in.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 4 Feb. 2026
Drop handfuls evenly over the top of the compost pile, moisten with water, and mix it in with a rake or shovel.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 3 Feb. 2026
Add a few handfuls of compost and mix everything thoroughly.
—Rae Ford, Martha Stewart, 15 Jan. 2026
And with two handfuls of books becoming movies or TV shows in 2026, the trend shows no sign of slowing down.
—Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 14 Jan. 2026
Yet their early work still feels somehow more atmospheric than their later work where atmosphere is the focus, with a real sense of fear that Neverland can’t quite conjure for all its handfuls of dust.
—Daniel Bromfield, Pitchfork, 8 Jan. 2026
Police said three masked suspects committed that robbery and pepper-sprayed an employee before escaping with handfuls of merchandise.
—Rick Hurd, Mercury News, 22 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for handfuls
Noun
-
For couples, Sandals Royal Plantation, Sandals Dunn’s River, and Excellence Oyster Bay won’t disappoint.—
Beth Luberecki,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
-
One is 1969’s Paul Mazursky comedy, Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice in which two couples wind up over their heads in stretching the moral limits of their relationships in an ever-changing society.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
As internal pressure builds, the casing ruptures and scatters fragments outward at high speed, causing widespread injury to those nearby.—
Divya Dubey,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Even a hit isn’t clean—some materials are highly reflective, meaning laser energy bounces off the drone and scatters, potentially causing blinding.—
Deni Ellis Béchard,
Scientific American,
13 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Handfuls.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/handfuls. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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