1
: put in use by one person or group after being used, discarded, or handed down by another
hand-me-down clothes
hand-me-down anecdotes
2
: ready-made and usually cheap and shoddy
hand-me-down noun

Examples of hand-me-down in a Sentence

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.
Within the entertainment industry even our job titles are non-descriptive hand-me-downs from a bygone era and more often than not are negotiation points and not unilaterally indicative of any one role. Ollie Barder, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025 Founded by Pip Durell, who grew up wearing hand-me-down cricket jumpers and rugby shirts, WNU has crafted this timeless collection to celebrate both the preppy style and sporting tradition that has become a quintessential part of London’s spring fashion landscape. Angela Lei, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 2025 Patched pockets and hand-me-downs were a way of stretching the life of a garment. Kinsey Gidick, USA Today, 26 Mar. 2025 The Fight for Free Tampons in Schools Lands in Court Image Mr. Baker got his start in breeding with a gift of hand-me-down plants from two friends, Ken Frieling, a coleus breeder who died last May, and Mr. Frieling’s partner, Tom Winn, who died in 2013. Margaret Roach, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hand-me-down

Word History

First Known Use

1826, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hand-me-down was in 1826

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hand-me-down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hand-me-down. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

hand-me-down

adjective
ˈhan(d)-mē-ˌdau̇n
: put in use by one person or group after being used, discarded, or handed down by another
hand-me-down noun

More from Merriam-Webster on hand-me-down

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