handout
Americannoun
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handouts
plural
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a portion of food or the like given to a needy person, as a beggar.
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any printed, typed, mimeographed, or photocopied copy of information, as a speech, policy statement, or fact sheet given to reporters, attendees at a meeting, or the like.
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anything given away for nothing, as a free sample of a product by an advertiser.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of handout
First recorded in 1880–85 handout for def. 1 and in 1905–10 handout for def. 2; noun use of verb phrase hand out
Explanation
A handout is something that's given to a person in need. A useful handout for someone who doesn't have a home might be food, money, or clothing. Handouts are anything that a person, government, charity, or other organization freely donates to needy people. While the word originated in the 1880s and gained popularity during the Great Depression among so-called "hobos," people who had to live entirely on the charity of others, handout has taken on a negative connotation in modern times. It's more often used to criticize the government or tax rates than to mean "a generous, thoughtful donation."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Others are broader: Personal independence payments are a cash handout for anyone—rich or poor, working or not—who has an illness or disability to help cover higher living costs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 12, 2026
“Social Security is not a handout — it is a benefit earned over decades of hard work. Retirees deserve to know that money will be there when they need it,” Grijalva said.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 2, 2026
Wile E. Coyote isn’t asking for a handout.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026
After a "low-rate initial production" at Everett, the "North Line will help enable the 737 MAX program to reach 52 airplanes a month," according to a Boeing handout.
From Barron's ● Jul. 10, 2026
He explained, “I wouldn’t want a handout any more than you’d want one. As long as we keep the money thing separate, we’ll always be sure of our love for each other.”
From "The Joy Luck Club" by Amy Tan
Families currently receiving the WFP food handouts complained to the BBC that already these were insufficient and gave them little diversity in their diets.
From BBC ● Oct. 19, 2026
The toilets are in a "pitiful" state, some without locks; internet access is patchy in classrooms, and a lack of printer ink sometimes leaves handouts unreadable, he added, his friends nodding along.
From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026
You are the one who stuck to her original career plan, built her own future independently, did not give up a six-figure job to follow your heart or ask family members for handouts or loans.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 10, 2026
He said the country's businesses had a "parent-child mentality" with the central government and relied too often on handouts.
From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026
Deutsche Bank had even sent along the formal handouts intended for subprime buyers, as a kind of script for them to follow.
From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
