handshake

noun

hand·​shake ˈhan(d)-ˌshāk How to pronounce handshake (audio)
: a clasping usually of right hands by two people (as in greeting or farewell)

Examples of handshake in a Sentence

She greeted him with a handshake. He has a firm handshake.
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.
The handshake is one of tennis’ fundamental traditions. Dan Shanoff, New York Times, 13 May 2026 Nothing would please him more than turning the handshake into a collaboration down the line. Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026 The seniors then shared a handshake. Dan Albano, Oc Register, 10 May 2026 Before that, there was the infamously long 19-second-long handshake with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2017. Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for handshake

Word History

First Known Use

1802, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of handshake was in 1802

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Cite this Entry

“Handshake.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/handshake. Accessed 16 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

handshake

noun
hand·​shake -ˌshāk How to pronounce handshake (audio)
: a clasping of hands by two people especially in greeting or farewell

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