change hands

Idioms  

1. Pass from one owner to another. For example, This house seems to change hands every other year, or The contract is valid only when money changes hands. [Second half of 1600s]

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

change hands

Those discussions, a U.S. official told Reuters, include the possibility of lifting sanctions on tankers “on an individual basis” so they can change hands.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 20, 2026

Major franchises — the Lakers, Dodgers, Dallas Cowboys and New York Yankees, to name a few — don’t change hands often.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 25, 2026

Other states, such as California, have laws discouraging selling by only resetting values for local real estate taxes when properties change hands.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 1, 2026

Global oil prices were in freefall, with Brent contracts for June delivery tumbling more than 13% to change hands at $83.37 a barrel, the lowest since March 5.

From Barron's ● Apr. 17, 2026

There was no need on either side—long or short—for cash to change hands.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

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