panhandle

1 of 2

noun

pan·​han·​dle ˈpan-ˌhan-dᵊl How to pronounce panhandle (audio)
: a narrow projection of a larger territory (such as a state)
the Oklahoma Panhandle

panhandle

2 of 2

verb

panhandled; panhandling ˈpan-ˌhan(d)-liŋ How to pronounce panhandle (audio)
-ˌhan-dᵊl-iŋ

intransitive verb

: to stop people on the street and ask for food or money : beg

transitive verb

1
: to accost on the street and beg from
2
: to get by panhandling
panhandler
ˈpan-ˌhan(d)-lər How to pronounce panhandle (audio)
-ˌhan-dᵊl-ər
noun

Examples of panhandle in a Sentence

Noun The Texas Panhandle is the northernmost part of the state. Verb He panhandled for his bus fare. There is a law against panhandling in the subway.
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.
Noun
Lying on the border between West Virginia and Ohio in the state’s northern panhandle is the charming town of Wheeling, West Virginia. Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 22 Mar. 2025 The most dangerous tornado threat should begin Saturday during the late morning to early afternoon hours in Louisiana and Mississippi before spreading into Alabama late afternoon into the evening, followed by the western Florida panhandle and into western Georgia through late Saturday night. Melissa Griffin, ABC News, 15 Mar. 2025
Verb
The ordinance also restricts panhandling in certain areas, such at the 18th & Vine district, the Country Club Plaza, Westport, Zona Rosa, the central business district and from motorists. Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 5 Feb. 2025 When he was arrested for panhandling in Kentucky on Jan. 10, 2020, the home address Caudill gave officers was a residential Denver facility that offers care to mentally ill teens and young adults who don’t respond to traditional treatment methods. Shelly Bradbury, The Denver Post, 26 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for panhandle

Word History

Etymology

Verb

back-formation from panhandler, probably from panhandle, noun; from the extended forearm

First Known Use

Noun

1846, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1890, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of panhandle was in 1846

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Panhandle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/panhandle. Accessed 31 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

panhandle

1 of 2 noun
pan·​han·​dle ˈpan-ˌhan-dᵊl How to pronounce panhandle (audio)
: a narrow strip of territory that extends from a larger territory (as a state)
the Texas Panhandle

panhandle

2 of 2 verb
panhandled; panhandling
-ˌhan-(d)liŋ,
-dᵊl-iŋ
: to beg for money on the street
panhandler
-(d)lər How to pronounce panhandle (audio)
-dᵊl-ər
noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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