handful

noun

hand·​ful ˈhan(d)-ˌfu̇l 

plural handfuls ˈhan(d)-ˌfu̇lz  also handsful ˈhan(d)z-ˌfu̇l 

1

: as much or as many as the hand will grasp

2

: a small quantity or number

a handful of people

3

: as much as one can manage

the kids are quite a handful

Synonyms

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

Examples of handful in a Sentence

The children collected seashells by the handful.

Our dog is a real handful.

Recent Examples on the Web

This list covers a handful of these places, but each one is uniquely beautiful and worth a visit. —Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 16 Jan. 2025

In fact, the season ends with a dark gag that has the cast and studio set on fire — which is recognized via interviews in the documentary as written for an audience that only included a handful of men: NBC’s executives. —Kevin Dolak, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Jan. 2025

Santos brought a ton of energy to open the game, hitting an open 3 and getting a handful of extra possessions during that hot start. —Anthony Slater, The Athletic, 16 Jan. 2025

Pelosi joins a handful of Democrats who are skipping the festivities, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and former first lady Michelle Obama. —Rachel Schilke, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 16 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

handful

noun

hand·​ful ˈhan(d)-ˌfu̇l 

plural handfuls -ˌfu̇lz  also handsful ˈhan(d)z-ˌfu̇l 

1

: as much or as many as the hand will grasp

a handful of jelly beans

2

: a small quantity or number

a handful of people

3

: as much as one can control or manage

the three babies are quite a handful