handful

noun

hand·​ful ˈhan(d)-ˌfu̇l 

plural handfuls ˈhan(d)-ˌfu̇lz  also handsful ˈhan(d)z-ˌfu̇l 

1

: as much or as many as the hand will grasp

2

: a small quantity or number

a handful of people

3

: as much as one can manage

the kids are quite a handful

Synonyms

• couple
• few
• scatter
• scattering
• smatter
• smattering
• sprinkle
• sprinkling

Examples of handful in a Sentence

The children collected seashells by the handful.

Our dog is a real handful.

Recent Examples on the Web

Both West Virginia and California have passed laws to ban a handful of food dyes from school lunches, with plans to extend the ban to a broader, statewide level too. —Sony Salzman, ABC News, 22 Apr. 2025

However, unlike the 2017 overhaul, House Republicans and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) only have a small majority to work with, meaning only a handful of votes can be lost. —Asher Notheis, The Washington Examiner, 22 Apr. 2025

The Athletic travelled the country for a taste of the tension and the drama in a handful of the games that mattered over the weekend. —Gregg Evans, New York Times, 22 Apr. 2025

These international hubs did not exist before the 1990s, when most manufacturing was concentrated in a handful of countries. —Javier Corrales, Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

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

Rhymes for handful

• brimful
• mouthful
• roomful
• spoonful
• full
• pull
• wool

Kids Definition

handful

noun

hand·​ful ˈhan(d)-ˌfu̇l 

plural handfuls -ˌfu̇lz  also handsful ˈhan(d)z-ˌfu̇l 

1

: as much or as many as the hand will grasp

a handful of jelly beans

2

: a small quantity or number

a handful of people

3

: as much as one can control or manage

the three babies are quite a handful