handshake

noun

hand·​shake ˈhan(d)-ˌshāk 

: a clasping usually of right hands by two people (as in greeting or farewell)

Examples of handshake in a Sentence

She greeted him with a handshake.

He has a firm handshake.

Recent Examples on the Web

Optimistic, outgoing people usually dress in bright colors and greet you with a smile, while the more reserved are likely to opt for a more minimalistic look and a handshake over a hug. —Sabine Leveiller, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025

Ovechkin then hugged team equipment and training staff on the bench and went through a handshake line with the Islanders as crew members set up for the 895 ceremony. —CBS News, 6 Apr. 2025

As the celebration on the floor dispersed to make way for the second national semifinal, Clayton could be seen greeting every teammate and staffer who offered a handshakes or a hug with a concise message. —Brian Hamilton, New York Times, 6 Apr. 2025

To wrap it up, doing handshake deals and not having things on paper has been the biggest lesson. —Mankaprr Conteh, Rolling Stone, 4 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1802, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing handshake

• golden handshake

Rhymes for handshake

• awake
• backache
• beefsteak
• betake
• cheesecake
• cupcake
• daybreak
• earthquake
• eastlake
• forsake
• headache
• heartache

Kids Definition

handshake

noun

hand·​shake -ˌshāk 

: a clasping of hands by two people especially in greeting or farewell