as in secondhand
owned or used by someone after it had been owned or used by someone else
—used especially of clothing
He was wearing an old, hand-me-down jacket.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hand-me-down
Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 22 Jan. 2025
My sisters’ hand-me-downs were highly coveted by us all.
—Lola Kirke, Vogue, 21 Jan. 2025
Nor does a distaste for hand-me-downs explain the difference; the same pattern applies regardless of where a production begins.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2025
In a September interview with Hello!, James said that both Kate and Pippa had given him baby clothes for Inigo, all of which were hand-me-downs from their own kids.
—Rachel Burchfield, People.com, 1 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for hand-me-down 
Adjective
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
My sisters’ hand-me-downs were highly coveted by us all.
—Lola Kirke, Vogue, 21 Jan. 2025
Nor does a distaste for hand-me-downs explain the difference; the same pattern applies regardless of where a production begins.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2025
In a September interview with Hello!, James said that both Kate and Pippa had given him baby clothes for Inigo, all of which were hand-me-downs from their own kids.
—Rachel Burchfield, People.com, 1 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for hand-me-down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hand-me-down
Adjective
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With the rising costs of fine jewelry, secondhand marketplaces like ShopGoodwill provide an affordable option for shoppers looking for authentic diamonds and precious metals.—
Justin Gest,
Newsweek,
10 Feb. 2025
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Upholstered Furniture Unlike damage furniture, buying secondhand upholstered pieces isn't as frowned upon, but Morse recommends looking over each piece with a careful eye to determine if this item will be a good investment.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
9 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Still, with an adjusted passing percentage from PFF, which takes into account drops and throwaways, Young had a 70% or more mark in eight of his final 10 starts.—
Mike Kaye,
Charlotte Observer,
15 Jan. 2025
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The Huskies turned the ball over a season-high 25 times, but even Marquette’s 29 points off those throwaways couldn’t slow UConn.—
Lindsay Schnell,
The Athletic,
2 Feb. 2025
Noun
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On the floor were pieces of scrap metal and a film of metallic dust, some of which also floated visibly in the air.—
Daniel Stone,
Smithsonian Magazine,
12 Feb. 2025
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See photos: Impressive nature scenes delight and inspire 'No Access' by Ian Wood Wood, who shot the photo of the badger, noticed that locals had been leaving food scraps on the pavement for foxes.—
Amaris Encinas,
USA TODAY,
6 Feb. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near hand-me-down
Cite this Entry
“Hand-me-down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hand-me-down. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
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