hand over 1 of 2

verb

Definition of hand overnext
1
as in to relinquish
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

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2
as in to provide
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

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3
as in to hand
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

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4
as in to pass
to shift possession of (something) from one person to another hand over that screwdriver, will you please?

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handover

2 of 2

noun

as in surrender
the usually forced yielding of one's person or possessions to the control of another though the handover of my wallet was painful, it was better than getting shot by some trigger-happy punk

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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 hand over
Verb
The initial subpoena called for the trust to hand over a wide variety of documents, including tax returns, showing the value of the overall trust, all the assets in it and the value of hundreds of businesses with Trump ties. — Alison Durkee, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026 Following a 2025 vote by the French parliament to authorize its repatriation, the Djidji Ayôkwé was handed over to the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire in a ceremony at the Musée Quai Branly in February. — Anne Doran, ARTnews.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Noun
Many clergy bitterly opposed the handover of the villages and criticized Pashinyan, who came to power in the South Caucasus nation amid a wave of hopeful, pro-democracy protests that swept Armenia in 2018. — Arkansas Online, 9 Aug. 2026 The handover of the INS Drakon is expected to significantly bolster Israel's underwater strike and reconnaissance capabilities, The Algemeiner reported. — Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 9 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hand over
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hand over
  1. relinquish
  2. provide
  3. hand
  4. surrender
  5. render
  6. give
  7. leave
  8. submission
Verb
  • There have been small changes to the ownership structures of Arsenal, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur in the last decade but without control ever being relinquished.
    — Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Panettiere's dual battle with postpartum depression and addiction influenced her decision to agree to relinquish custody of Kaya to her ex-fiancé, Wladimir Klitschko.
    — KiMi Robinson, USA Today, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of relinquish
Verb
  • The plan will intensify the battle between Amazon and Walmart to provide consumers with the fastest delivery times.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The Australians do provide a men’s and women’s singles berth for a player from the Asia-Pacific region, to foster development in less traditional tennis countries.
    — Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of provide
Verb
  • The bold reforms, which Tinubu’s government argues saved the economy and handed the government more money, were cheered by investors but resulted in soaring inflation.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • He was handed a wild card to play doubles at Wimbledon this year but lost in the first round.
    — Ben Church, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of hand
Noun
  • Public health has always depended on some surrender of individual privacy for collective benefit.
    — Jennifer D. Oliva, The Conversation, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The goals have included complete Iranian surrender, regime change, Iran never getting a nuclear weapon and ending Tehran’s support for its Middle East proxy groups like Hezbollah.
    — Charlotte Reck, CNN Money, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of surrender
Verb
  • The tactic has rendered many towns and villages uninhabitable.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The Attorney General's report said Officer Hadel requested emergency medical services (EMS) and rendered medical aid to Brown until EMS arrived to transport him to the hospital.
    — Bryan Lynn, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of render
Verb
  • The Arts District is a short rideshare away and gives you all the indie bars and restaurants and vintage shopping.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Karlie Lema’s pressure gave Bay FC (5-10-4) a lead in the sixth minute, but Moriya responded a minute later to tie it and Utah (11-6-3) took the lead in the 22nd minute on Narumi’s shot from outside the box.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of give
Verb
  • WireImage Three days after Jeongyeon became the first TWICE member to leave JYP Entertainment in the group’s eleven-year history, Chaeyoung has announced her own departure.
    — Hannah Abraham, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Authorities are searching for the driver of a van who struck a man in a wheelchair in Dania Beach and fled the scene, leaving the victim injured and his wheelchair damaged.
    — Abby Dodge, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of leave
Noun
  • Independent evaluation or validation may strengthen confidence in the process where appropriate, especially for higher-stakes submissions.
    — David Talby, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026
  • The giveaway produced a 1,500-person waitlist, a 5% newsletter bump, a nice Instagram spike, and a few submissions.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of submission

Browse Nearby Words

handouts
hand over
handover
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Cite this Entry

“Hand over.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hand%20over. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

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