hand-me-down
adjective
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
While some had just enough time to snag valuables and hard drives, others went straight for childhood belongings and hand-me-downs.
—
Marianne Eloise, Architectural Digest, 31 Jan. 2025
Through it all—the fights, the coupon cutting, the hand-me-downs, the breakdowns—with love, humor and perseverance, the family prevails.
—Denise Petski, Deadline, 28 Jan. 2025
During that time, Hannah often received Alexa's hand-me-downs because John did not want to buy duplicate items when something already worked.
—Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 24 Jan. 2025
Exchange is the sharing of resources through social networks and communities, like when sharing a cup of sugar with a neighbor or giving hand-me-down clothing to younger family members.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 22 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for hand-me-down 
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.
Marianne Eloise, Architectural Digest, 31 Jan. 2025
Through it all—the fights, the coupon cutting, the hand-me-downs, the breakdowns—with love, humor and perseverance, the family prevails.
—Denise Petski, Deadline, 28 Jan. 2025
During that time, Hannah often received Alexa's hand-me-downs because John did not want to buy duplicate items when something already worked.
—Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 24 Jan. 2025
Exchange is the sharing of resources through social networks and communities, like when sharing a cup of sugar with a neighbor or giving hand-me-down clothing to younger family members.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 22 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for hand-me-down
Dictionary Entries Near hand-me-down
Cite this Entry
“Hand-me-down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hand-me-down. Accessed 7 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share