handshake

noun

hand·​shake ˈhan(d)-ˌshāk How to pronounce handshake (audio)
: 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
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.
Calipari made sure to give Acuff a handshake on his way off the podium — and likely onward to the NBA. Cam Inman, Mercury News, 27 Mar. 2026 The inside jokes, the nicknames, the handshakes, singing the songs together. Meg Walters, Glamour, 25 Mar. 2026 The inside jokes, the nicknames, the handshakes, singing the songs together. Lauryn Overhultz, FOXNews.com, 24 Mar. 2026 The reason this matters geopolitically—not just fiscally—goes back to that 1974 handshake. Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 24 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for handshake

Word History

First Known Use

1802, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of handshake was in 1802

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Handshake.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/handshake. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

handshake

noun
hand·​shake -ˌshāk How to pronounce handshake (audio)
: a clasping of hands by two people especially in greeting or farewell

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