1
as in manages
to deal with (something) usually skillfully or efficiently
as host of a live TV talk show, she must handle any situation that comes up
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in treats
to behave toward in a stated way
handles all requests professionally, even when customers are rude
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
4
as in supervises
to look after and make decisions about
she takes care of the flower beds, and he handles all the lawn care
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in accepts
to put up with (something painful or difficult)
I can't handle much more of this foul weather
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in oversees
to be in charge of
I'll be handling the team's workouts while the leader is on vacation
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in grips
a part by which an implement is held
was given a set a steak knives with wooden handles
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in names
a word or combination of words by which a person or thing is regularly known
likes to go by the handle "Champ"
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in nicknames
a descriptive or familiar name given instead of or in addition to the one belonging to an individual
since it seemed decreed that every new firefighter have a handle, his was soon "Hulk"
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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show current usage.
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Recent Examples of handles
Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 25 Apr. 2026
While porcelain is very durable and handles baking soda well, Murphy notes that acrylic and fiberglass scratch easily.
—Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 25 Apr. 2026
Food and drink On the ground floor, Muse Bistro + Bar handles all-day dining.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Apr. 2026
The organization, which already handles production permitting in other areas of Los Angeles County, announced a new partnership Friday with Manhattan Beach to handle the city’s film-permitting process.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 24 Apr. 2026
Espresso media handles international sales.
—Kevin Giraud, Variety, 24 Apr. 2026
Garren basically handles all of the many little details that make the annual walk a success.
—Myrna Petlicki, Chicago Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026
That’s because the attorney general for the relevant state normally handles litigation against charities suspected of wrongdoing.
—Beth Gazley, The Conversation, 24 Apr. 2026
The budget also adds 170 new positions at the agency that handles street repairs, according to her team.
—David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2026
Jolie Kerr, Washington Post, 26 Apr. 2026
The stickers are also used as backups in case the main, larger tags applied around handles fall off or are damaged.
—Joey Skladany, Travel + Leisure, 25 Apr. 2026
Wipe down shelves, storage drawers, and the door handles.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 25 Apr. 2026
Plastic handles, nylon bristles and stainless steel wire make each option safe to clean and disinfect in the dishwasher.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026
Distinctive lighting elements, smooth body lines, and subtle design touches such as semi-hidden door handles and a rear spoiler contribute to its modern look.
—Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 24 Apr. 2026
Use a disinfecting cleaner on all the doorknobs in every room, as well as handles for toilets and the kitchen faucet.
—Elizabeth Brownfield, Southern Living, 23 Apr. 2026
Flush handles on the outside open the doors with only a touch.
—Stephen Edelstein, ArsTechnica, 23 Apr. 2026
The bag had three handles on each side, plus two more at the top and bottom.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 22 Apr. 2026
Verb
The office also handles business registrations, oversees the state archives and runs a potpourri of other state programs, like commissioning notaries public and maintaining a registry for advance care directives.
—Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 25 Apr. 2026
While porcelain is very durable and handles baking soda well, Murphy notes that acrylic and fiberglass scratch easily.
—Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 25 Apr. 2026
Food and drink On the ground floor, Muse Bistro + Bar handles all-day dining.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Apr. 2026
The organization, which already handles production permitting in other areas of Los Angeles County, announced a new partnership Friday with Manhattan Beach to handle the city’s film-permitting process.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 24 Apr. 2026
Espresso media handles international sales.
—Kevin Giraud, Variety, 24 Apr. 2026
Garren basically handles all of the many little details that make the annual walk a success.
—Myrna Petlicki, Chicago Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026
That’s because the attorney general for the relevant state normally handles litigation against charities suspected of wrongdoing.
—Beth Gazley, The Conversation, 24 Apr. 2026
The budget also adds 170 new positions at the agency that handles street repairs, according to her team.
—David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2026
Noun
Manual scrub brushes with extendable handles.
—Jolie Kerr, Washington Post, 26 Apr. 2026
The stickers are also used as backups in case the main, larger tags applied around handles fall off or are damaged.
—Joey Skladany, Travel + Leisure, 25 Apr. 2026
Wipe down shelves, storage drawers, and the door handles.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 25 Apr. 2026
Plastic handles, nylon bristles and stainless steel wire make each option safe to clean and disinfect in the dishwasher.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026
Distinctive lighting elements, smooth body lines, and subtle design touches such as semi-hidden door handles and a rear spoiler contribute to its modern look.
—Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 24 Apr. 2026
Use a disinfecting cleaner on all the doorknobs in every room, as well as handles for toilets and the kitchen faucet.
—Elizabeth Brownfield, Southern Living, 23 Apr. 2026
Flush handles on the outside open the doors with only a touch.
—Stephen Edelstein, ArsTechnica, 23 Apr. 2026
The bag had three handles on each side, plus two more at the top and bottom.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 22 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for handles
Verb
-
North East Trees, a local environmental justice group, manages about 37 acres of the site that feature trails and native plant installations.—
Jaclyn Cosgrove,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Both Google and Microsoft have found that roughly 70 percent of serious security flaws come down to the ways in which software manages memory.—
Evan Johnson,
IEEE Spectrum,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Antisemitism is a moral problem, not a partisan one, and this resolution treats it as such.—
Alma Hernandez,
New York Daily News,
1 May 2026
-
Allina Health, which oversees six 340B entities in Minnesota, treats DEI and environmental activism as core priorities.—
Mia Cathell,
The Washington Examiner,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
As Zhou explained, the micromotor operates autonomously rather than remaining fixed in place.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Apr. 2026
-
That’s in addition to his private ambulance and paramedic service, which generates roughly $270,000 annually and operates out of his home in Newcastle-under-Lyme, England.—
Kelly McGreal,
FOXNews.com,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The Chinese government officially recognizes five religions — Buddhism, Taoism, Catholicism, Protestantism and Islam — and tightly supervises them.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 Apr. 2026
-
The group recruits, trains and supervises volunteers who represent children in the foster care system in juvenile courts, according to its website.—
Molly Morrow,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Throughout the Comédie humaine, Balzac contrasts Rastignac’s relatively principled personality to that of another climber, Lucien de Rubempré, who accepts Vautrin’s help only to suffer the consequences.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
29 Apr. 2026
-
The Social Security Administration then publicizes it and accepts public comments.—
Sarah D. Wire,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Cacioppo—who taught herself to code from books before writing Vanta’s first prototype—now oversees roughly 1,000 employees.—
Lily Mae Lazarus,
Fortune,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Volunteers from local neigborhood watch group Shomrim were on the scene quickly, Rabbi Herschel Gluck, who oversees a nearby branch of the organization, told CNN.—
Jomana Karadsheh,
CNN Money,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Either way, regulars are probably coming to grips with a glass-half-empty feeling.—
Michael Deeds,
Idaho Statesman,
29 Apr. 2026
-
The controller’s matte finish provides a solid connection to the comfortable palm grips, which are angled to naturally position your thumbs easily over the thumbsticks and face buttons.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The truth in this story seems to be elusive and unknowable, and this circles back to your earlier question about what kind of assumptions are made about people with names like Saïd or Tamerlan.—
Cressida Leyshon,
New Yorker,
26 Apr. 2026
-
The sandwiches derive their names from the city’s streets.—
Stephanie Breijo,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Handles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/handles. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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