hand-feed

verb

ˈhan(d)-ˈfēd How to pronounce hand-feed (audio)
hand-fed ˈhan(d)-ˈfed How to pronounce hand-feed (audio) ; hand-feeding
Synonyms of hand-feednext

transitive verb

: to feed by hand
He does not just hunt sharks, he hand-feeds them live salmon from a submerged cage.—Rick Reilly

Examples of hand-feed 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.
Nini might have died too if he hadn’t been caged and hand-fed. — Tao Lin, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025 Ollier pointed out the original coal furnaces, still hand-fed to heat each carriage. — Erica Firpo, AFAR Media, 5 Nov. 2025 In the meantime, they are being hand-fed, like the rest of the Penguin Island colony. — CBS News, 13 June 2026 On the docks in Islamorada, travelers can hand-feed tarpon that are more than six feet long. — Sarah Rose, Travel + Leisure, 25 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for hand-feed

Word History

First Known Use

1794, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hand-feed was in 1794

Rhymes for hand-feed

See All Rhymes for hand-feed

Browse Nearby Words

handfasting
hand-feed
hand file
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hand-feed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hand-feed. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for hand-feed

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