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.
As an example, Xi said that he was forced to wear the clothes of his older sisters as hand-me-downs. Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 June 2025 Recently, a friend gave me a hand-me-down kit filled with beautiful wooden games and brightly colored books that promises to teach my child to read. Jenny Gold, Los Angeles Times, 24 June 2025 That’s why a baby monitor can be a lifesaver, but not any old hand-me-down model will do. Bestreviews, Mercury News, 24 June 2025 Family hand-me-downs, thrifted items, and keepsakes are what make maximalist spaces one-of-a-kind. Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 May 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 1 Jul. 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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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