handful
noun
Simple meaning
A small number or amount.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
handfuulSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
ˈhændfʊl
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
noun
A small number or amount
“Only a handful of responses were received.”
A small number, usually approximately five.
The amount that a hand will grasp or contain.
A group or number of things; a bunch.
informal
Something which can only be managed with difficulty.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Frequency
- Moderately Common
- Typical Use
- Neutral / general English
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: A small number or amount
Used this way, handful is a common word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. It stays understated rather than dramatic. It usually sounds natural in a wide range of settings.
“Only a handful of responses were received.”
- Emotional tone
- Neutral
- Formality
- Neutral
- Intensity
- Mild
- How common
- Common
- Connotation
- Matter-of-fact
- Usage feel
- Neutral and straightforward
Usage note
It most often appears in the pattern “handful of …”, which is worth copying when you use it.
Natural pattern: handful of …
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
More ways to use handful
- “Only a handful of responses were received.”noun
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Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.