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.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hand-me-down
Denise Petski, Deadline, 28 Jan. 2025
During that time, Hannah often received Alexa's hand-me-downs because John did not want to buy duplicate items when something already worked.
—Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 24 Jan. 2025
Exchange is the sharing of resources through social networks and communities, like when sharing a cup of sugar with a neighbor or giving hand-me-down clothing to younger family members.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 22 Jan. 2025
My sisters’ hand-me-downs were highly coveted by us all.
—Lola Kirke, Vogue, 21 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hand-me-down
Adjective
Through it all—the fights, the coupon cutting, the hand-me-downs, the breakdowns—with love, humor and perseverance, the family prevails.
—Denise Petski, Deadline, 28 Jan. 2025
During that time, Hannah often received Alexa's hand-me-downs because John did not want to buy duplicate items when something already worked.
—Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 24 Jan. 2025
Exchange is the sharing of resources through social networks and communities, like when sharing a cup of sugar with a neighbor or giving hand-me-down clothing to younger family members.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 22 Jan. 2025
My sisters’ hand-me-downs were highly coveted by us all.
—Lola Kirke, Vogue, 21 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hand-me-down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hand-me-down
Adjective
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According to research compiled by Statista, the global apparel secondhand market was estimated to be worth $211 billion in 2023, and is expected to rise to more than $350 billion by 2027.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
11 Feb. 2025
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Did your skin start crawling off your body in secondhand embarrassment as Mark and Helly just kind of wobbled around in that hallway almost kissing for almost 40 damn seconds?—
Brian Grubb,
Vulture,
31 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Every cold open featuring Harris and her cohort just rehashed each week’s news cycle, with throwaways to Johnson’s Trump and Bowen Yang as J.D. Vance featuring the two often just reciting actual statements made along the campaign trail, as if the lunacy of it all couldn’t be made more ridiculous.—
Harrison Richlin,
IndieWire,
15 Feb. 2025
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Leitch produced the film, which was a passable Netflix throwaway hampered by dopey B-movie conventions.—
Will Leitch,
Vulture,
8 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Cheese or Dairy Products Cheese and dairy scraps are other food items not to be used in compost.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
26 Feb. 2025
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Food scraps scattered along the roadside attract rodents, which in turn draw owls to hunt them.—
Cecilia Rodriguez,
Forbes,
24 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hand-me-down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hand-me-down. Accessed 8 Mar. 2025.
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