handy
adjective
within easy reach; conveniently available; accessible.
handy
1 American
[han-dee]
/ ˈhæn di /
adjective
handier,
handiest
-
within easy reach; conveniently available; accessible.
The aspirins are handy.
-
convenient or useful.
A digital thermometer is a handy thing to have at home.
-
skillful with the hands; deft; dexterous.
a handy person.
- Synonyms:
- versatile, all-around
-
easily maneuvered.
a handy ship.
- Synonyms:
- yare, wieldy, manageable
Handy
2
American
[han-dee]
/ ˈhæn di /
noun
handy
1
British
/ ˈhændɪ /
adjective
-
conveniently or easily within reach
-
easy to manoeuvre, handle, or use
a handy tool
-
skilful with one's hands
Handy
2
British
/ ˈhændɪ /
noun
handy
Idioms
Synonym Usage
See dexterous.
Other Word Forms
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.
Vocabulary lists containing handy
Words from the 4th of July Songbook
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Father's Day Words
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-y
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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.
The crop tops were inspired by "seeing lots of fans cutting jerseys and re-sewing them to get the fit they wanted", says Handy.
From BBC • Apr. 4, 2026
According to the company’s official history, the concept for Home Depot came to Blank and Marcus after they had both been fired from another home improvement store called Handy Dan.
From Slate • Jan. 27, 2026
The one Mingus brought to Monterey included pianist Jaki Byard and drummer Dannie Richmond from that previous sextet, along with alto saxophonist Charles McPherson, tenor saxophonist John Handy and trumpeter Lonnie Hillyer.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 15, 2025
As Handy writes, “Teenagers and teen movies would come of age hand in hand.”
From Los Angeles Times • May 16, 2025
“That’s about all I do, honey. Small magic that can’t hurt anybody. Handy sometimes, though. No sharp bits left on the floor.”
From "Ella Enchanted" by Gail Carson Levine
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
