longhand

noun

long·​hand ˈlȯŋ-ˌhand How to pronounce longhand (audio)
Synonyms of longhandnext
: handwriting: such as
a
: characters or words written out fully by hand
b
: cursive writing

Synonyms of longhand

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Examples of longhand in a Sentence

She wrote the book in longhand. my computer was down for most of the afternoon, so I wrote out my report in longhand
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.
Our guy is just pecking away at his little typewriter or writing his memories in longhand. — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2026 There is even research evidence that the act of writing in longhand has benefits over typing. — Rebecca Fraser-Thill, Forbes.com, 31 July 2025 Robbins wrote his books in longhand on legal pads, producing only a couple of pages a day and with nothing plotted in advance. — Bill Trott, USA TODAY, 11 Feb. 2025 Schumacher worked longhand, and filled tons of flip notebooks with his words before transferring them onto a typewriter. — Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 6 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for longhand

Word History

First Known Use

1666, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of longhand was in 1666

Rhymes for longhand

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Browse Nearby Words

long-haired chimpanzee
longhand
long handle
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Cite this Entry

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

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Kids Definition

longhand

noun
long·​hand ˈlȯŋ-ˌhand How to pronounce longhand (audio)
1
: the characters or words written out fully by hand
2
: cursive writing

More from Merriam-Webster on longhand

Nglish: Translation of longhand for Spanish Speakers

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