as in secondhand
owned or used by someone after it had been owned or used by someone else
—used especially of clothing
He was wearing an old, hand-me-down jacket.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of hand-me-down
Amelia Mugavero, CBS News, 3 Dec. 2025
For instance, our toddler is growing up with more cashmere than most adults, since her hand-me-downs were made by her great-grandmother, Celsa, the founder of Scaglione.
—Nneya Richards, Travel + Leisure, 11 Nov. 2025
Fit a Bow A new bow loses about a third of its value after leaving the shop, so a lot of new archers start with a hand-me-down.
—The Editors, Outdoor Life, 30 Oct. 2025
The outfit was a hand-me-down from her beloved dog, Sophie, who is no longer with us.
—Susan Tompor, Freep.com, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hand-me-down
Adjective
Without their belongings, the family is relying on neighbors and relatives this season, borrowing Christmas trees, hand-me-down dishes, and even pie plates.
—Amelia Mugavero, CBS News, 3 Dec. 2025
For instance, our toddler is growing up with more cashmere than most adults, since her hand-me-downs were made by her great-grandmother, Celsa, the founder of Scaglione.
—Nneya Richards, Travel + Leisure, 11 Nov. 2025
Fit a Bow A new bow loses about a third of its value after leaving the shop, so a lot of new archers start with a hand-me-down.
—The Editors, Outdoor Life, 30 Oct. 2025
The outfit was a hand-me-down from her beloved dog, Sophie, who is no longer with us.
—Susan Tompor, Freep.com, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hand-me-down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hand-me-down
Adjective
-
For Barton, that moment became both a style foundation and a lesson in how secondhand clothing could create individuality in a way mass retail often could not.—
J.M. Banks
March 16,
Kansas City Star,
16 Mar. 2026
-
The campaign encourages consumers to allow their wardrobes to evolve through more qualitative and timeless secondhand options rather than firsthand overconsumption.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
At one point there’s a throwaway bit involving a roller coaster that dives into a pit of lava, eventually emerging with all its passengers transformed into happy skeletons; maybe we are supposed to be those happy skeletons, drained of life and loving it.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The first Monday of the term was always a throwaway.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Each group would later attend a tribal council and vote out the eighth, ninth, and tenth castaways.—
Anthony Robledo,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Fans were given a say in key decisions, voting online to shape production and game mechanics, from choosing tribe colors to requiring castaways to earn rice and supplies instead of receiving them at the start.—
Pamela Chelin,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
There are bodies made from scrap metal, bodies pierced with tentacles and affixed with screens for nipples and eyes, bodies broken down for parts, and walls lined with images of skin.—
Zachary Fine,
New Yorker,
31 Mar. 2026
-
It’s been two years since Rhode Island Recycled Metals went to court against Providence over the city’s authority to regulate the controversial scrap metal business, but the issue is still far from being settled.—
Alex Kuffner,
The Providence Journal,
27 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hand-me-down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hand-me-down. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
