How to Use handkerchief in a Sentence

handkerchief

noun
  • In a sparkling handkerchief top, blue jeans, and a blue coat.
    — Chelsey Sanchez, Harper's BAZAAR, 18 Apr. 2022
  • Sparkly snow like a fresh handkerchief had been dropped on the town.
    — Anne Carson, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2025
  • The man gulped the water down and wiped his mouth with his handkerchief.
    — Paul Yoon, The New Yorker, 26 June 2023
  • Zendaya paired the handkerchief-hem dress with satin pumps.
    — Marissa G. Muller, PEOPLE, 25 June 2026
  • Tissues were scarce, so her mother cut up a sheet to make handkerchiefs.
    — Karina Bland, azcentral, 28 Mar. 2020
  • Zain took a handkerchief from his pocket and tore it into strips.
    — Daniyal Mueenuddin, New Yorker, 23 Nov. 2025
  • Penelope wraps it for him, first with a handkerchief, then a napkin.
    — Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 16 May 2024
  • Ross pulls a handkerchief from his pocket and dabs at his eyes, smiling through his tears.
    — Jacqui Shine, Longreads, 20 July 2017
  • And the white handkerchief, too, had left the darkness of the drawer.
    — The Economist, 5 Sep. 2019
  • Hands — each gripping a white handkerchief — cut the air at angles above their heads.
    — Genevieve Marks, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2023
  • Also called ghost tree or handkerchief tree, these names come from the unique spring flowers.
    — Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Feb. 2025
  • Lily pollen, the handkerchief petals white in the station’s anthracite air.
    — Cynthia Zarin, The New Yorker, 19 July 2021
  • My mom, who passed away a number of years ago, always had a handkerchief in her purse or up her sleeve.
    — cleveland, 4 Nov. 2020
  • My mom, who passed away a number of years ago, always had a handkerchief in her purse or up her sleeve.
    — Annie Lane, oregonlive, 5 Nov. 2020
  • In fact, a handkerchief played an important role in a pivotal night of his life.
    — Stuart Green, WSJ, 28 Feb. 2019
  • The flimsy cloth top might as well have been a handkerchief from your grandma’s dresser.
    — Hannah Elliott, Bloomberg.com, 14 Jan. 2021
  • Richie wiped away his own tears, handed Monée a handkerchief and embraced her in a hug.
    — Ashley Iasimone, Billboard, 20 Feb. 2023
  • Then dunk a thin cloth, like a handkerchief or pillowcase, into the glass.
    — Christa Sgobba, Men's Health, 31 Mar. 2023
  • Most vendors know to carry a handkerchief to cover the mouth.
    — Peggy Truong, Seventeen, 8 Apr. 2017
  • The older Burnett would put on a top hat, a black suit, a red tie and a red handkerchief.
    — Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 5 Sep. 2025
  • Lind fans could buy Jenny Lind dolls, gloves, scarves, and handkerchiefs.
    — Nancy Baym, WIRED, 10 July 2018
  • All Ingrid is left with is her father’s bloody handkerchief.
    — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 8 Dec. 2025
  • The lone employee at the café had a milky complexion and a handkerchief tied around her hair.
    — Literary Hub, 14 Apr. 2026
  • Your small dog or cat can be transformed into a cowboy with this simple hat and handkerchief.
    — Christopher Murray May Earn A Commission If You Buy Through Our Referral Links. This Content Was Created By A Team That Works Independently From The Fox Newsroom., FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2024
  • The heat was now sweltering, my handkerchief sodden with use.
    — Literary Hub, 3 Sep. 2025
  • The suit, tie and handkerchief were a little more than $2,500.
    — Charlotte Carroll, SI.com, 2 June 2018
  • His parents’ birthday gifts — slacks, a dress shirt and handkerchiefs — are not going to help him on any of these fronts.
    — San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Aug. 2019
  • Coach Lynn wanders the sidelines with a paper play sheet that looks like a handkerchief.
    — Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2020
  • Pastor Daniel was in the crowd, holding a handkerchief against a wound on his forehead.
    — Hari Kunzru, The New Yorker, 29 June 2020
  • The teenager also added a pink handkerchief to his suit jacket, matching his date's pink dress.
    — Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 12 Nov. 2025

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'handkerchief.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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