HANDSEL Synonyms: 56 Similar and Opposite Words

handsel

noun

ˈhan(t)-səl

Definition of handsel

as in gift

something given to someone without expectation of a return gave little handsels to their houseguests on New Year's Day

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Recent Examples of Synonyms for handsel

Noun

The homeowner didn’t charge him rent, and the truck Buchanan drove was a gift, the woman told agents.

— Matthew Ormseth, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
Abenante-Villa’s parents buried him with gifts, including a basketball jersey and sports cards.

— Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of gift

Noun

Combined with its co-founders' pledge to donate 80% of their equity and an employee donation matching program, roughly 20% of Anthropic's shares will be dedicated to public purposes, excluding any additional shares added later.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 20 Oct. 2026
If a governor does not opt in, that state's taxpayers can still make donations to SGOs and receive the tax credit, but families in that state won't qualify for scholarships or vouchers to pay for educational expenses.

— Cory Turner, NPR, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of donation

Noun

From the starting point of children abandoned in a train station, the story – inspired by true events – turns on the past and present of a family.

— Annika Pham, Variety, 26 Oct. 2026
That’s the dark story Brooke is ready to tell the world in a manuscript she’s brought from Sag Harbor—the world’s least welcome Christmas present.

— Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of present

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.

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hands down

handsel

handsels

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“Handsel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/handsel. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of handsel

noun

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