change hands

phrase

: to pass from the possession of one owner to that of another

The property has changes hands many times.

Examples of change hands in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Its founders say plates worth $463 million have changed hands in three years, and that the market is growing by about 20% a year. — semafor.com, 6 Oct. 2026

That tension manifested in 2026 as two once-popular sustainable fashion brands saw ownership change hands after struggling to turn their models into durable businesses. — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 5 Oct. 2026

Details of how the airport changed hands, including whether fighting took place there, remained unclear. — Rodney Muhumuza, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2026

Patrick Duchien had two touchdown passes and a touchdown run to help Montana State take a 34-20 advantage early in the fourth quarter — after a first half that saw the lead change hands six times before the Bobcats took a 24-20 lead into the break. — ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1614, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for change hands

• borderlands
• bottomlands
• firebrands
• hinterlands
• meadowlands
• nederlands
• operands
• reprimands
• timberlands
• understands
• ands
• bands