handful

noun

hand·​ful ˈhan(d)-ˌfu̇l How to pronounce handful (audio)
plural handfuls ˈhan(d)-ˌfu̇lz How to pronounce handful (audio) also handsful ˈhan(d)z-ˌfu̇l How to pronounce handful (audio)
1
: as much or as many as the hand will grasp
2
: a small quantity or number
a handful of people
3
: as much as one can manage
the kids are quite a handful

Examples of handful in a Sentence

The children collected seashells by the handful. Our dog is a real handful.
Recent Examples on the Web Voyager has a history of working on the International Space Station and is one of a handful of companies selected by NASA to design and develop commercial space stations. Judith Kohler The Denver Post (tns), arkansasonline.com, 25 Mar. 2024 Kevin Hart was feted Sunday with the Kennedy Center’s Mark Twain Prize in a traditionally raucous affair that drew praise and flak in equal measure from a handful of comedic colleagues on hand for the occasion. Paul Harris, Variety, 25 Mar. 2024 At the ancient imperial capital grounds of Hoa Lu, a handful of domestic travelers are taking selfies in traditional ao dai in front of the 10th-century temples. Chris Wallace, Travel + Leisure, 24 Mar. 2024 The sugar industry, which is dominated by a handful of large companies, has faced antitrust scrutiny for decades. CBS News, 22 Mar. 2024 Flores is one of a handful of female soul singers in the souldies community. Jessica Lipsky, Los Angeles Times, 22 Mar. 2024 The Bookseller is one of a handful of new additions to Stardew Valley’s calendar. Nena Farrell, WIRED, 22 Mar. 2024 The bag comes in a handful of colors and offers plenty of space to store a wallet, phone, and other essentials. Amy Schulman, Peoplemag, 21 Mar. 2024 The spicy bean mixture pairs well with a handful of crispy crackers, but also works as a salad topper or alongside some rice. Christine Byrne, Mph, Rd, SELF, 13 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'handful.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of handful was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near handful

Cite this Entry

“Handful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/handful. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

handful

noun
hand·​ful ˈhan(d)-ˌfu̇l How to pronounce handful (audio)
plural handfuls -ˌfu̇lz How to pronounce handful (audio) also handsful ˈhan(d)z-ˌfu̇l How to pronounce handful (audio)
1
: as much or as many as the hand will grasp
a handful of jelly beans
2
: a small quantity or number
a handful of people
3
: as much as one can control or manage
the three babies are quite a handful

More from Merriam-Webster on handful

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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