handbag

noun

ˈhan(d)-ˌbag How to pronounce handbag (audio)
Definition of handbagnext
1
as in suitcase
a bag carried by hand and designed to hold a traveler's clothing and personal articles flies only with a handbag so he doesn't have to check his luggage

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in purse
a container for carrying money and small personal items her handbag is just big enough to hold her favorite photos and wallet

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 handbag That’s part of a black-market advertising bonanza on the social media site, where sellers are now hawking fake GLP-1 weight-loss drugs and experimental Chinese peptides alongside knockoff luxury handbags and sneakers. — Iain Martin, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026 That’s not a problem for him, as long as those handbags are a reflection of his creative spirit. — José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 18 Aug. 2026 China’s deepening economic slowdown is reshaping domestic consumption for high-end handbags and humble burgers. — Tasneem Nashrulla, semafor.com, 18 Aug. 2026 The growing number of designer boutiques at Wilmette’s Plaza del Lago were just joined by a power player in fashion — the French luxury brand Hermès, which sells $10,000-plus handbags coveted by celebrities. — Claire Murphy, Chicago Tribune, 18 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for handbag
Recent Examples of Synonyms for handbag
  1. suitcase
  2. purse
  3. wallet
  4. bag
Noun
  • After 49 years in America, Park packed his life into two suitcases and a golf bag and boarded a one-way flight to South Korea, leaving behind his two children, a son, 29, and a daughter, 25.
    — Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Arlowe Sneakers out of my suitcase and set out on a marathon travel day.
    — Rebecca Shinners, Travel + Leisure, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of suitcase
Noun
  • From anti-theft purses that look like chic handbags to polished trousers that feel more like comfy sweatpants, these styles are versatile, functional, and comfortable to boot—and prices start at just $8.
    — Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Small enough to fit into a purse, the traditional Spanish folding hand fan, or abanico, snaps open into a semicircle.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of purse
Noun
  • Gado via Getty Images AI agents are starting to hold wallets and pay for things, and finance has no standard way to tell one agent from another.
    — Boaz Sobrado, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
  • When the tip bucket was passed around, patrons reached for their wallets, not avoided eye contact.
    — Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of wallet
Noun
  • These bags come from Maria Grazia Chiuri’s fall 2026 collection, her first as Fendi’s chief creative officer—and something of a homecoming for the Roman designer.
    — Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Carter Nylon Cargo Backpack My 56-year-old mom never travels without a backpack to easily store her medicines, snacks, chargers, laptop, and even spare clothes in the compact bag.
    — Alyssa Morin, InStyle, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of bag

Browse Nearby Words

hand
handbag
handbags
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Cite this Entry

“Handbag.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/handbag. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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