hand
ful
Plural
handfuls
1
an amount that fits in a hand
- She scooped up a handful of sand and let it trickle through her fingers.
- She grabbed a handful of nuts from the bowl for a quick snack.
- He gave her a handful of coins to use at the arcade.
- She picked up a handful of colorful pebbles from the beach.
- He scooped up a handful of popcorn while watching the movie.
Synonyms:
2
a small number of people or things
- A handful of guests stayed late to help clean up after the party.
- The recipe only requires a handful of ingredients, making it quick and easy.
- A handful of people showed up to the meeting despite the bad weather.
- A handful of volunteers helped clean up the park after the event.
- The teacher managed the classroom, even though it was a handful of energetic kids.
Synonyms:
3
a person or thing that is difficult to manage or handle, often due to being energetic, demanding, or troublesome
- The child can be a handful at times, especially when he’s tired.
- His little sister can be a real handful when she doesn’t get her way.
- The new puppy is a handful, but we love him.
- That boy is a handful—he’s always into something.
- Managing the team during the project was a handful, but we pulled through.