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• handy
  handy

  adjective

  within easy reach; conveniently available; accessible.
• Handy
  Handy

  noun

  W(illiam) C(hristopher), 1873–1958, U.S. blues composer.

handy

¹ American  

[han-dee] / ˈhæn di /

adjective

• handier,
  comparative
• handiest
  superlative

1. within easy reach; conveniently available; accessible.

   The aspirins are handy.

2. convenient or useful.

   A digital thermometer is a handy thing to have at home.

3. skillful with the hands; deft; dexterous.

   a handy person.

   Synonyms:

   versatile, all-around

4. easily maneuvered.

   a handy ship.

   Synonyms:

   yare, wieldy, manageable

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Handy ² American  

[han-dee] / ˈhæn di /

noun

1. W(illiam) C(hristopher), 1873–1958, U.S. blues composer.

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handy ¹ British  

/ ˈhændɪ /

adjective

1. conveniently or easily within reach

2. easy to manoeuvre, handle, or use

   a handy tool

3. skilful with one's hands

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Handy ² British  

/ ˈhændɪ /

noun

1. W ( illiam ) C ( hristopher ). 1873–1958, US blues musician and songwriter, esp noted for the song "St Louis Blues"

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handy Idioms  

1. see come in handy.

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Synonym Usage

See dexterous.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• handiness
  noun

Inflected Forms

Adjectives

• handier
  comparative
• handiest
  superlative

Etymology

Origin of handy

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English (in surnames); see hand, -y ¹

Explanation

Someone who's handy is skilled and clever, especially when it comes to making or fixing things. If you're handy in the kitchen, you're a good cook. A carpenter tends to be handy with a saw or a hammer, and if you're good at sewing, you're handy with a needle and thread. Another meaning of handy is "useful" or "convenient." Your laptop is handy because you use it for all kinds of things, and your smartphone is handy because you always keep it in your pocket — it's right there when you need it.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

handy Handy handier handiest

It was handy to have the directions spoken in my ears.

From BBC ● Sep. 24, 2026

Physical texts still come in handy for writers browsing for the facts that inspire clues.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 8, 2026

But anti-trust law can come in handy for gamers, Brunaux said.

From Barron's ● Aug. 28, 2026

Beyond emergency situations, a multitool can be used in a variety of ways outside your vehicle, so it’s a good item to keep handy.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 20, 2026

With my Iranian passport handy, I was allowed to cast a vote in a country I hadn’t lived in since I was two years old.

From "Americanized" by Sara Saedi

Established Asian chipmakers can capitalise on the AI boom, partly because they remain innovative, Handy said.

From Barron's ● Jun. 29, 2026

For memory chips, "there's little to stop price rises until they impact end markets," Handy said.

From Barron's ● Jun. 29, 2026

The man accused of slaying veteran “Top Gun: Maverick” and “Jumanji” actor James Handy earlier this month is not mentally competent to face criminal court prosecution, a Los Angeles judge ruled Monday.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 23, 2026

The film’s director, Brian Connors, posted on Facebook last year that Handy was one of the “finest character actors I know.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 5, 2026

On Tuesdays Wednesdays, and Saturdays, I worked at a convenience store called Handy Stop, which is located right beside I-40.

From "Where Things Come Back" by John Corey Whaley

And the Sense is handier in day-to-day life because you can set silent alarms, use it for contactless payments, and receive notifications.

From The Verge ● Aug. 5, 2022

Maybe this is just one more instance of Americans retreating further indoors and away from one another, but there’s a handier explanation for that in COVID-19.

From Slate ● Dec. 7, 2021

A cookbook can’t get much handier or helpful; the author lists plenty of variations and substitutions for all types of eaters.

From Washington Post ● Nov. 28, 2016

But it didn’t take her long to learn one of capitalism’s handier skills: creating market demand.

From BusinessWeek ● Oct. 16, 2014

“I don’t know, except that I was handier than anyone else.”

From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt

“But it’s really interesting, because if it works, it would be the handiest and cheapest way to enrich their environment.”

From Science Magazine ● Mar. 22, 2022

You'll get the cleaning secrets we've learned from grandma, a guide to our handiest tools and helpers, and so much more.

From Salon ● Mar. 22, 2022

This battery pack may not be able to fill an iPhone 12 or 13 from empty, but it’s one of the handiest ways to keep them topped off.

From The Verge ● Dec. 3, 2021

Instead of letting the handiest nearby shelf get stuck with all the bags, select a convenient location as a command center/drop zone.

From Seattle Times ● Aug. 19, 2021

To begin with, that was the handiest and coolest place we had for hanging fresh meat.

From "Old Yeller" by Fred Gipson

Related Words

• available
• convenient
• helpful
• manageable
• neat
• practicable
• practical
• profitable
• useful