What does "handful" mean?
The amount that a hand will grasp or contain.
Handful
/ˈhæn(d)fʊl/ noun, slang
noun, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The amount that a hand will grasp or contain.
- Grammar: handful is listed as noun, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: a few, a few, ace, armfuls.
- Useful contrasts: dutch dozijn, a lot, armsful.
- Usage evidence: There are a handful of naughty boys in my neighborhood.
How to use "handful"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "handful" 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 "handful" 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 "handful" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "handful" 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 "handful" is acting as noun, slang 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 "a few" 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 "handful", 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 The amount that a hand will grasp or contain.
"I put two or three corns in my mouth, liked it, stole a handful, went into my chamber, chewed it, and for two months after never failed taking toll of every pennyworth of oatmeal that came into the house: […]"
- 2 the quantity that can be held in the hand wordnet
- 3 A hand's breadth; four inches. obsolete
"Knap the tongs together about a handful from the bottom."
- 4 a small number or amount wordnet
- 5 A small number, usually approximately five.
"This handful of men were tied to very hard duty."
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 A group or number of things; a bunch.
"But, aunt, she must have had some kind of education, her accent was so pure, her English so unfaulty. The other girl dropped her h's by handfuls, and made some very wild confusion in her native etymology."
- 7 Something which can only be managed with difficulty. informal
"Those twins are a real handful to look after."
- 8 A five-year prison sentence. slang
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"There are a handful of naughty boys in my neighborhood."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "handful"?
Common synonyms include: a few, a few, ace, armfuls, atom, augean task.
How do you use "handful" in a sentence?
There are a handful of naughty boys in my neighborhood.
How do you pronounce "handful"?
Pronounced /ˈhæn(d)fʊl/.
Etymology
From Middle English handful, hondful, from Old English handfull (“handful”), from Proto-Germanic *handufullō, *handufulliz (“handful”), from Proto-Germanic *handuz (“hand”) + *fullaz (“full”); equivalent to hand + full (“fullness, plenty”) or hand + -ful. Cognate with Saterland Frisian Hondful (“handful”), West Frisian hânfol (“handful”), Dutch handvol (“handful”), German Handvoll (“handful”), Danish håndfuld (“handful”), Swedish handfull (“handful”), Icelandic handfylli (“handful”).