manhandle

verb

man·​han·​dle ˈman-ˌhan-dᵊl How to pronounce manhandle (audio)
manhandled; manhandling; manhandles
Synonyms of manhandlenext

transitive verb

1
: to handle roughly
2
: to move or manage by human force
manhandled the posts into place

Synonyms of manhandle

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Examples of manhandle in a Sentence

They manhandled the heavy boxes onto the truck. She manhandled the posts into place. He was manhandling the boy. He says he was manhandled by the police.
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.
An Osceola County deputy sheriff was arrested this week, accused of manhandling a 67-year-old woman and falsely charging her with battering him during an early-morning traffic stop, the Sheriff’s Office announced Tuesday. — Cristóbal Reyes, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Oct. 2026 He got stuffed by double-team blocks and turned away by larger Toronto wings, who manhandled the slighter forward in his attempts to create downhill momentum. — Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 22 Oct. 2026 The Dallas Cowboys were manhandled by the Green Bay Packers 23-13 on Sunday night to drop to 2-4 this season. — Jim Barnes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Oct. 2026 However, that doesn’t explain how they were manhandled by the Gamecocks last week. — David Troy Outkick, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for manhandle

Word History

First Known Use

1851, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of manhandle was in 1851

Rhymes for manhandle

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Browse Nearby Words

Mangyan
manhandle
man-harness knot
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Cite this Entry

“Manhandle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/manhandle. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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Kids Definition

manhandle

verb
man·​han·​dle ˈman-ˌhan-dᵊl How to pronounce manhandle (audio)
1
: to handle roughly
2
: to move or manage by human force
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