at hand

phrase

Definition of at handnext
1
as in near
not being distant in time, space, or significance We sat down to address the issue at hand.

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2
as in accessible
situated within easy reach She always keeps a water bottle near at hand.

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3
as in upcoming
being soon to appear or take place The time to act is close at hand.

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4
as in in
at, within, or to a short distance or time They live in a second-floor apartment with several shops and restaurants at hand.

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5
as in present
being within the confines of a specified place They had several nurses at hand in case anything went wrong.

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of at hand Whether that cup is half full or half empty is the issue at hand. — Chad Bishop, AJC.com, 29 June 2026 These factors may have little to do with spreadsheets or strategic frameworks, but are valuable to the discussion or project at hand. — Athar Mirza, Forbes.com, 23 Feb. 2026 The mystery at hand, while complicated, doesn’t really offer that much to unravel. — Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 30 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for at hand
Recent Examples of Synonyms for at hand
to hand
Phrase
  • The decision is poised to hand candidates and party committees far greater influence over millions of dollars in election spending, particularly in competitive House and Senate races.
    — David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 4 July 2026
  • In a recent New York Times op-ed, Bernie Sanders proposed requiring AI companies, such as OpenAI, Anthropic, and xAI, to hand over a 50 percent equity stake in their business to the federal government.
    — Rogé Karma, The Atlantic, 2 July 2026
Definition of to hand

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at full tilt
at hand
atheism
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Cite this Entry

“At hand.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/at%20hand. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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