What does "handbag" mean?
A small bag carried in the hand, used either when travelling or to carry tools for a specific job.
Handbag
noun, verb
noun, verb ·2 syllables ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A small bag carried in the hand, used either when travelling or to carry tools for a specific job.
- Grammar: handbag is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: bag, pocketbook, purse, bag collection.
- Useful contrasts: backpacks, knapsacks, rucksack.
- Usage evidence: Mary claimed that the handbag had been a present from her husband.
How to use "handbag"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "handbag" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "handbag" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "handbag" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "handbag" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "handbag" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "bag" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "handbag", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A small bag carried in the hand, used either when travelling or to carry tools for a specific job. archaic, countable, uncountable
"From a little hand-bag he extracted his automatic pistol, which he put upon the mantelpiece."
- 2 a container used for carrying money and small personal items or accessories (especially by women) wordnet
- 3 A small bag used chiefly by women for carrying various small personal items, sometimes considered as a fashion accessory. Commonwealth, countable, uncountable
"Then came a maid with hand-bag and shawls, and after her a tall young lady. She stood for a moment holding her skirt above the grimy steps, with something of the stately pose which Richter has given his Queen Louise on the stairway, and the light of the reflector fell full upon her."
- 4 Ellipsis of handbag house. abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis, uncountable
Verb
- 1 To attack verbally or subject to criticism (typically used of a woman). British, humorous, idiomatic, transitive
"‘Apparently Birt happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time on Sunday afternoon. Virginia saw him and handbagged him. She really was very cross.’"
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"Mary claimed that the handbag had been a present from her husband."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "handbag"?
Common synonyms include: bag, pocketbook, purse, bag collection, baggage, bags.
How do you use "handbag" in a sentence?
Mary claimed that the handbag had been a present from her husband.
Etymology
From hand + bag. The music genre is named from women dancing around a pile of their handbags in nightclubs. The verb is a reference to Margaret Thatcher's handbag.