1
: put in use by one person or group after being used, discarded, or handed down by another
hand-me-down clothes
hand-me-down anecdotes
2
: ready-made and usually cheap and shoddy
hand-me-down noun

Examples of hand-me-down in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Founded by Pip Durell, who grew up wearing hand-me-down cricket jumpers and rugby shirts, WNU has crafted this timeless collection to celebrate both the preppy style and sporting tradition that has become a quintessential part of London’s spring fashion landscape. Angela Lei, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 2025 Patched pockets and hand-me-downs were a way of stretching the life of a garment. Kinsey Gidick, USA Today, 26 Mar. 2025 The Fight for Free Tampons in Schools Lands in Court Image Mr. Baker got his start in breeding with a gift of hand-me-down plants from two friends, Ken Frieling, a coleus breeder who died last May, and Mr. Frieling’s partner, Tom Winn, who died in 2013. Margaret Roach, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2025 As children they were accustomed to wearing hand-me-downs that carried the name of a previous owner. Rosemary Feitelberg, WWD, 24 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hand-me-down

Word History

First Known Use

1826, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hand-me-down was in 1826

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hand-me-down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hand-me-down. Accessed 9 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

hand-me-down

adjective
ˈhan(d)-mē-ˌdau̇n
: put in use by one person or group after being used, discarded, or handed down by another
hand-me-down noun

More from Merriam-Webster on hand-me-down

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