handed

1 of 2

adjective

hand·​ed ˈhan-dəd How to pronounce handed (audio)
Synonyms of handednext
1
: having a hand or hands especially of a specified kind or number
—usually used in combination
a large-handed man
2
: using a specified hand or number of hands
—used in combination
right-handed
a one-handed catch

handed

2 of 2

past tense and past participle of hand entry 2

Examples of handed in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Adjective
Matt Boldy and Danila Yurov also scored early for the Wild, who outshot the Golden Knights 23-11 over the first two periods — including 6-1 while short-handed. — CBS News, 13 Oct. 2026 Maren Haile-Selassie had an assist on a short-handed goal by Anton Salétros in the second half before scoring the winner in the 87th minute and the Chicago Fire rallied to beat New York City FC 2-1 on Saturday. — ABC News, 10 Oct. 2026 But add to that the fact that Mikey moves through the world as if everyone is right-handed and she’s left-handed. — Daniel D'addario, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026 The Lakers teased their new defensive identity in a 127-103 preseason win against the Sacramento Kings on Monday at Golden 1 Center, rolling out their deep group of wings to overcome a short-handed bench. — Senior Editor, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for handed

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

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

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

Phrases Containing handed

Rhymes for handed

See All Rhymes for handed

Browse Nearby Words

H and D system
handed
handedness
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Handed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/handed. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

handed

adjective
hand·​ed ˈhan-dəd How to pronounce handed (audio)
: having or using such or so many hands
a right-handed person
handedness noun

Medical Definition

handed

adjective
hand·​ed ˈhan-dəd How to pronounce handed (audio)
1
: having a hand or hands especially of a specified kind or number
—usually used in combination
a large-handed man
2
: using a specified hand or number of hands
—used in combination
right-handed

More from Merriam-Webster on handed

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for handed

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