fistful

noun

fist·​ful ˈfist-ˌfu̇l How to pronounce fistful (audio)
1
: handful
a fistful of coins
2
: a considerable number or amount
a whole fistful of musiciansThomas Lask

Examples of fistful in a Sentence

She has won a fistful of awards. repairing the roof is going to cost a fistful of money
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.
Active time: 5 minutes Total time: 20 minutes Yield: 2 servings 3 cups water 1 stale loaf of bread a generous fistful of fresh thyme sprigs extra virgin olive oil 2 eggs salt ground black pepper Pour 3 cups of water into a small pot and bring to a boil on medium high. Vicky Hallett, NPR, 1 Apr. 2025 To the side, women wailed, beating their chests or throwing fistfuls of rice and rose petals. Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2025 Multiple voices in one hand blended into fistfuls of color, and perplexing emphases on accompaniment figures served to distract, rather than elucidate, the musical argument. Luke Schulze, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Mar. 2025 In a poor country like Russia, handing out fistfuls of rubles is the very definition of desperation. Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 5 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for fistful

Word History

First Known Use

1611, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of fistful was in 1611

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Cite this Entry

“Fistful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fistful. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

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