How to Use handshake in a Sentence

handshake

noun
  • He has a firm handshake.
  • She greeted him with a handshake.
  • The two did their own handshake.
    — Broderick Turner, Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2026
  • The handshake, the hug, the new friend.
    — Robyn Duda, Rolling Stone, 10 Dec. 2025
  • Stay for the postgame handshake.
    — Dan Wiederer, New York Times, 6 May 2026
  • As the show wrapped up, hugs and handshakes were had across the area.
    — Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Feb. 2025
  • Look them in the eye; give them a firm handshake; and say their name.
    — Annie Lane, oregonlive, 23 June 2021
  • This is good and bad news for the handshake, one expert says.
    — Rachel Trent, CNN, 5 June 2021
  • Still no word on whether closing that sale with a handshake is next.
    — Bynick Rockel, Fortune, 28 June 2024
  • James was asked if those were the last handshakes of his career.
    — Broderick Turner, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
  • The end-of-series hugs-and-handshake line will be here soon enough.
    — BostonGlobe.com, 3 June 2021
  • Every handshake might equal a sale.
    — Steve Bloom, Rolling Stone, 20 Apr. 2026
  • The seniors then shared a handshake.
    — Dan Albano, Oc Register, 10 May 2026
  • Paul goes to shake her hand but jerks it back, then gives her a left-handed handshake.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2025
  • Abbott looked me in the eyes and returned the handshake with a smile.
    — Nicole Russell, USA Today, 27 Mar. 2025
  • My therapist opens the door and greets me with a smile and no handshake.
    — Rachel Epstein, Marie Claire, 30 Aug. 2021
  • There were hugs and handshakes aplenty on the field prior to the game.
    — Journal Sentinel, 2 May 2023
  • Kilmer, 64, is tall and broad with blond hair, a square jaw and a beefy handshake.
    — Hannah Dreyfus, ProPublica, 30 Sep. 2022
  • Garcetti smiled as the president pulled him in close for a handshake.
    — Courtney Subramanian, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2023
  • And after the women won gold, the two shared a very unique handshake.
    — Victoria Uwumarogie, Essence, 12 Aug. 2024
  • All built on a handshake and a verbal promise.
    — Brandon Busteed, Forbes.com, 24 Jan. 2026
  • On this urban beach, a hookup was as easy as a handshake or passing a joint.
    — Andrew Durbin, Vulture, 13 Apr. 2026
  • Both Dolans had handshakes with the mayor.
    — Ryan Morik Outkick, FOXNews.com, 18 June 2026
  • The movie features a handshake, a kiss on the cheek and a kiss on the forehead.
    — Michael Ordoña, Los Angeles Times, 18 Nov. 2023
  • An 11-year-old black boy stopped and frisked after a handshake.
    — Eric Levenson, CNN, 8 June 2020
  • Your guests will thank you (and possibly with a dry handshake, at that).
    — Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 6 Dec. 2025
  • Some even felt compelled to try the handshake themselves.
    — Daniella Gray, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
  • The first impression is no longer the handshake.
    — Rich Bornstein, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026
  • Might more handshakes be angrily pulled away from?
    — James Horncastle, New York Times, 24 June 2026
  • The main image is your visual handshake.
    — Jon Stojan, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'handshake.' 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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