get/have a handle on
idiom
informal
: to understand and be able to deal with (something)
I can't quite get a handle on the way this machine works.
It seemed like she had a good handle on the situation.
Examples of get/have a handle on in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The soft opening weekend will allow Limpapath to get a handle on her new kitchen, experience the flow of customers, and identify what’s still missing from service.
—
Tiney Ricciardi, Denver Post, 2 Apr. 2025
Simpson was for a variety of measures to get a handle on the general problem.
—Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 28 Mar. 2025
Can those qualities survive devastating firestorm? Jan. 11, 2025
With the help of a fire engine, Brown extinguished spot fires in his neighborhood until 1:30 a.m., when the winds died down for a few hours, allowing fire crews to get a handle on the flames in Kinneloa Canyon.
—Matthew Ormseth, Los Angeles Times, 17 Jan. 2025
How to get a handle on credit card debt
Credit cards are also one of the most expensive ways to borrow money.
—Jessica Dickler, CNBC, 10 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for get/have a handle on
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Tiney Ricciardi, Denver Post, 2 Apr. 2025
Simpson was for a variety of measures to get a handle on the general problem.
—Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 28 Mar. 2025
Can those qualities survive devastating firestorm? Jan. 11, 2025
With the help of a fire engine, Brown extinguished spot fires in his neighborhood until 1:30 a.m., when the winds died down for a few hours, allowing fire crews to get a handle on the flames in Kinneloa Canyon.
—Matthew Ormseth, Los Angeles Times, 17 Jan. 2025
How to get a handle on credit card debt
Credit cards are also one of the most expensive ways to borrow money.
—Jessica Dickler, CNBC, 10 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for get/have a handle on
Cite this Entry
“Get/have a handle on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/get%2Fhave%20a%20handle%20on. Accessed 13 Apr. 2025.
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