1
as in relinquishing
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 providing
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
as in leaving
to put (something) into the possession or safekeeping of another
handed over their valuables to the desk clerk, who put them in the hotel safe
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in handing
to shift possession of (something) from one person to another
hand over that screwdriver, will you please?
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 handing over
But Coben’s leadership was always temporary, handing over the reins to Gaudette, a corporate president who’s been with NRG and predecessor companies for 25 years.
—
Jordan Blum, Fortune, 17 May 2026
Such was the level of this achievement that Orange Tsai from the DEVCORE Research Team was rewarded with a $200,000 bounty payment in return for immediately handing over all the technical details to the event organizers.
—Davey Winder, Forbes.com, 16 May 2026
That one decision likely saved him from handing over personal information.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 15 May 2026
Similarly, the possibility of handing over a large sum of money to an insurer and then dying soon afterward with little to show for it is often a large behavioral hurdle for people, said Zach Teutsch, founder of Values Added Financial in Washington.
—Greg Iacurci, CNBC, 24 Apr. 2026
Closure is something Shaw spent much of her life searching for after the trauma of handing over her newborn as a 16-year-old in 1991.
—Johnny Dodd, PEOPLE, 23 Apr. 2026
The company had also recently staged a high-profile Cybertruck delivery event in Dubai’s Al Marmoom desert, handing over 63 vehicles in January, just weeks before tensions escalated.
—Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 1 Apr. 2026
Election officials, including some Republicans, have said handing over the information would violate state and federal privacy laws.
—CBS News, 29 Mar. 2026
Election officials, including some Republicans, have said handing over the information would violate state and federal privacy laws.
—ABC News, 27 Mar. 2026
Jordan Blum, Fortune, 17 May 2026
Such was the level of this achievement that Orange Tsai from the DEVCORE Research Team was rewarded with a $200,000 bounty payment in return for immediately handing over all the technical details to the event organizers.
—Davey Winder, Forbes.com, 16 May 2026
That one decision likely saved him from handing over personal information.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 15 May 2026
Similarly, the possibility of handing over a large sum of money to an insurer and then dying soon afterward with little to show for it is often a large behavioral hurdle for people, said Zach Teutsch, founder of Values Added Financial in Washington.
—Greg Iacurci, CNBC, 24 Apr. 2026
Closure is something Shaw spent much of her life searching for after the trauma of handing over her newborn as a 16-year-old in 1991.
—Johnny Dodd, PEOPLE, 23 Apr. 2026
The company had also recently staged a high-profile Cybertruck delivery event in Dubai’s Al Marmoom desert, handing over 63 vehicles in January, just weeks before tensions escalated.
—Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 1 Apr. 2026
Election officials, including some Republicans, have said handing over the information would violate state and federal privacy laws.
—CBS News, 29 Mar. 2026
Election officials, including some Republicans, have said handing over the information would violate state and federal privacy laws.
—ABC News, 27 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for handing over
Verb
-
Trump has said numerous times that any final resolution would have to involve Iran relinquishing its nuclear program, either by means of a diplomatic agreement or by force.—
Chris Boccia,
ABC News,
13 May 2026
-
And at the counter, where chef and guest are separated by little more than a stretch of the hand, everything rests on precision, presence and the quiet thrill of relinquishing control to the chef’s capable hands.—
Rachel Ingram,
Robb Report,
10 May 2026
Verb
-
Julian Champagnie took over Harrison Barnes’ starting spot in San Antonio and has been an athletic upgrade who is durable and reliable while providing accurate volume shooting.—
Law Murray,
New York Times,
18 May 2026
-
Before providing any personal information, confirm if the organization is real or check with your school's financial aid office.—
Janay Reece,
CBS News,
17 May 2026
Verb
-
Soon after leaving school, the organization Fighting Words changed that for me.—
Via Riverhead,
Literary Hub,
19 May 2026
-
Body oils, dead skin, dirt, soap scum, mineral deposits, hard water stains, and mold can stick to the walls, door, grout, and floor, leaving a grimy film.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
19 May 2026
Verb
-
Angels starter Jack Kochanowicz walked four and hit a batter with a pitch in the first two innings, but the right-hander retired 12 straight batters — six by strikeout — from the third through the sixth before handing the ball to the bullpen.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
21 May 2026
-
Instead of handing your passport to an immigration officer, eligible travelers can scan their passport themselves, step into a gate, and look into a camera that matches their face to the biometric photo stored in their passport chip.—
Bailey Berg,
Condé Nast Traveler,
20 May 2026
Verb
-
Later that evening, Lennon was assassinated outside of his apartment building, rendering the interview his final words spoken on the record.—
Vikram Murthi,
IndieWire,
15 May 2026
-
The Polish writer-director has spent the last decade-plus rendering the period after WWII in severe black-and-white.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
And the end came well before midnight, with goals by Mitch Marner and Brett Howden in the first 8½ minutes giving Vegas a commanding lead before many in the late-arriving weeknight crowd had made it to their seats at the Honda Center.—
Kevin Baxter,
Los Angeles Times,
15 May 2026
-
Las Vegas moved on from the quarterback this offseason in favor of Cousins and Mendoza, less than a year after giving Smith more than $58 million guaranteed.—
Sam Warren,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
Last year, Coleman-Williams let new teammate Isaiah Horton take it after transferring to Alabama from Miami.—
David Ubben,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
-
Al-Shurman played football at Golden West College in 2018 before transferring to NAIA Doane University in Nebraska.—
Dan Albano,
Oc Register,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
The Broncos have revamped their passing offense this offseason after the acquisition of Jaylen Waddle from the Dolphins.—
Antwan Staley,
New York Daily News,
15 May 2026
-
The two scores gave Dorofeyev nine for the playoffs, passing Howden for the league lead.—
Kevin Baxter,
Los Angeles Times,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Handing over.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/handing%20over. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
