Handful — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun /ˈhan(d)-ˌfu̇l/ hand·ful

Meaning & Definition of Handful

Handful (noun)

  1. as much or as many as the hand will grasp
  2. a small quantity or number
  3. as much as one can manage

Handful (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a small number

    "only a handful of people signed up for the wintertime hike"

    similar: couple, few, scatter, scattering, smatter, smattering, sprinkle, sprinkling
    related: minority, atom, crumb, fragment, grain, iota, jot, modicum, molecule, particle, scrap, shred, tittle, whit
    opposite: army, crowd, flock, gazillion, horde, host, jillion, kazillion, legion, loads, many, mountain, multitude, oodles, scads, thousands, zillion
    near: majority, most, abundance, excess, plenty, surplus, deal, gobs, heap, lot, mass, much, peck, pile, plenitude, pot, profusion, quantity, raft, reams, slather, slew, stack, wad, wealth

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Handful

The most common words with a similar meaning to Handful:

couple, few, scatter, scattering, smatter, smattering, sprinkle, sprinkling

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Handful

Words with the opposite meaning of Handful:

army, crowd, flock, gazillion, horde, host, jillion, kazillion, legion, loads, many, mountain, multitude, oodles, scads, thousands, zillion

Related Words for Handful

minority, atom, crumb, fragment, grain, iota, jot, modicum, molecule, particle, scrap, shred, tittle, whit

Near Antonyms of Handful

majority, most, abundance, excess, plenty, surplus, deal, gobs, heap, lot, mass, much, peck, pile, plenitude, pot, profusion, quantity, raft, reams, slather, slew, stack, wad, wealth

Word Forms of Handful

Inflections: handfuls, handsful

Origin & Etymology of Handful

First known use: before 12th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Handful

Frequently Asked Questions about Handful

What does "Handful" mean?

"Handful" means as much or as many as the hand will grasp. As a noun, it is defined as: as much or as many as the hand will grasp.

What is another word for "Handful"?

Other words for "Handful" include couple, few, scatter, scattering, smatter, smattering, sprinkle and sprinkling. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Handful" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Handful"?

There are 22 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Handful". Common alternatives include couple, few, scatter, scattering, smatter, smattering, sprinkle and sprinkling.

What is the opposite of "Handful"?

Antonyms of "Handful" include army, crowd, flock, gazillion, horde, host, jillion and kazillion. Near antonyms include majority, most, abundance and excess.

How do you use "Handful" in a sentence?

Examples of "Handful" in a sentence: "only a handful of people signed up for the wintertime hike".

Is "Handful" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Handful" is a noun.

Is "Handful" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C1-level word, "Handful" is typical of Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE), IELTS band 7.0–8.0, TOEFL iBT 95–113, PTE Academic 76–84, TOEIC Listening & Reading 945+. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Handful"?

"Handful" is pronounced /ˈhan(d)-ˌfu̇l/ and divided into syllables as hand·ful.