handyman
Americannoun
-
handymen
plural
noun
-
a man employed to do various tasks
-
a man skilled in odd jobs, etc
Gender
See -man.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of handyman
Explanation
Someone who's good at many things, especially fixing things around the house, can be called a handyman. If you need help unclogging a drain and repairing a hole in a window screen, you should call a handyman. A handyman knows how to do minor repairs and odd jobs, and either tackles these on weekends in his own home or advertises his skills and is employed by other people. These days, it's not uncommon to use the word handyperson instead, since it includes both men and women who are handy at fixing and building things. In any case, a handyman or handyperson doesn't specialize in one skill, but dabbles in many.
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:
If you have to wait for a building superintendent or a handyman, an experience that is notoriously clock-agnostic, it’s no big deal to work from home that afternoon.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 30, 2026
A local handyman, Arsenio García, gingerly guarded a carry-on with a melting cold pack.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026
“He was the cook, the handyman, he was the caretaker,” the imam said.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 22, 2026
Outside, the couple leveled the once-dirt backyard, added pea gravel, built a pergola with a handyman and installed a firepit where they enjoy entertaining their friends.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 21, 2026
The trouble was, not many people wanted to hire a handyman whose own house was about to cave in.
From "The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs" by Betty G. Birney
Founder Kale Li told AFP she first became interested in the industry after becoming tired of dealing with inconsistently priced and unreliable handymen in southwestern Chengdu, where she lives.
From Barron's ● Jul. 8, 2026
Local handymen have also donated their time for free to fit the new items.
From BBC ● Sep. 11, 2025
Lowe's heavy investments in catering to its "Pro-customers", which include professional builders, contractors and handymen, with services such as same-day delivery across the United States have also helped, Ellison added.
From Reuters ● Aug. 22, 2023
Lentz identified the other victims shot near the McCain siblings as Charles Manuel, 76, and John Rorie, 59, who were both handymen.
From Washington Post ● Feb. 18, 2023
Colored men found jobs as carpenters, brickmasons, janitors, shoeshiners, handymen, and yard workers.
From "Reaching for the Moon" by Katherine Johnson
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.
