handy

adjective

ˈhan-dē How to pronounce handy (audio)
Definition of handynext
1
as in convenient
situated within easy reach keeps a box of tissue handy whenever she watches Romeo and Juliet on her home theater

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in skilled
skillful with the hands handy with a needle and thread

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 handy Police officer Matt Parkman (Greg Grunberg) was able to read other people's minds, while prisoner DL Hawkins (Leonard Roberts) developed a handy penchant for walking through walls. — Richard Edwards, Space.com, 29 Sep. 2026 Those who received an email notice will need their unique login ID and PIN handy. — Tanasia Kenney, Charlotte Observer, 28 Sep. 2026 The timing of sending Donskoy’s remains into battle was also handy. — Cnn Staff, CNN Money, 26 Sep. 2026 This Mixi Carry-on expands from 42-liters to 48-liters and is airline-approved with a TSA lock and handy front pocket. — Helen Iatrou, Travel + Leisure, 26 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for handy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for handy
  1. convenient
  2. skilled
  3. accessible
  4. clever
  5. capable
  6. skillful
  7. cunning
  8. proficient
Adjective
  • This is a boutique hotel with large, comfortable rooms, a top-notch stone pool, and a convenient location in the heart of Vail Village.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The 4-in-1 Adjustable Car Charger features USB-C and USB-A ports plus 36-inch retractable USB-C and Lightning cables for convenient, clutter-free charging.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of convenient
Adjective
  • Guadagnino has always been skilled in his choice of music (Sufjan Stevens’ alt-pop in Call Me by Your Name, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’ pounding EDM in Challengers).
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Oilers general manager Stan Bowman has added Podkolzin and traded for Howard in an effort to bring skilled youth to the roster.
    — Allan Mitchell, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of skilled
Adjective
  • Accessibility Very good—two street-level entrances have ramps in place and are wheelchair-accessible, and lifts access all floors of the hotel.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of accessible
Adjective
  • By upgrading synthetic skin from a passive sensor into an energy harvester, the Fudan team offers a clever alternative to deadweight batteries.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Halloween is sneaking up frighteningly fast, which means the window for coming up with a genuinely clever costume is closing at an alarming rate.
    — Marci Robin, Allure, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of clever
Adjective
  • Instead of using a conventional crane capable of reaching the top of the tower, the company used a telescoping tower design.
    — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The models have become much more capable; the pace of improvement from model to model is faster; and the stakes are much higher.
    — Alyson Shontell, Fortune, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of capable
Adjective
  • But be that guy that can be skillful, a bruiser, fast and tough.
    — Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Sep. 2026
  • As Musashi scrambles through a school of Samurai, the game seamlessly bounces between skillful swordplay, rowdy improvisation, and Looney Tunes-style levity.
    — Zackery Cuevas, PC Magazine, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of skillful
Adjective
  • Magpies are opportunistic scavengers, incredibly cunning and deceitful and capable of calculated deception.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Last week, Alan Cumming’s cunning competition empire The Traitors unsheathed its most diabolical twist yet.
    — Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of cunning
Adjective
  • Charles is dark and brooding, but proficient in manly pursuits.
    — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Often a parent hears a child speaking English with friends or siblings and assumes the child is already proficient and has exited the program, Villarreal said.
    — Emily Woodruff, Los Angeles Times, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of proficient

Browse Nearby Words

handwrought
handy
handyman
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Cite this Entry

“Handy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/handy. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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