at hand

phrase

Synonyms of at handnext
1
: near in time or place : within reach
use whatever ingredients are at hand
2
: currently receiving or deserving attention
the business at hand

Examples of at hand in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
For the first time, many people living with chronic hepatitis B may have a functional cure at hand. — New Atlas, 22 Oct. 2026 Utilities have no shortage of operational information at hand; the challenge is to connect it with predictive analysis, so operators can move beyond reacting to failures and toward anticipating them. — Charlie Sanchez, Forbes.com, 20 Oct. 2026 On Saturday, Loya Chávez was careful to say that the issue at hand was not the drug raid itself, but rather the participation of US officials outside the bounds of Mexican law. — Mauricio Torres, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2026 Writing in the 1880s, with no satellite photos at hand, Parkman borrowed the point of view of a flock of Canada geese flying north from Albany. — James Whorton Jr, Longreads, 13 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for at hand

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of at hand was before the 12th century

Rhymes for at hand

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Browse Nearby Words

Athanasius
at hand
athanor
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“At hand.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/at%20hand. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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