secondhand

1 of 4

adjective

sec·​ond·​hand ˈse-kən(d)-ˈhand How to pronounce secondhand (audio)
1
a
: received from or through an intermediary : borrowed
b
: derivative
secondhand ideas
2
a
: acquired after being used by another : not new
secondhand books
b
: dealing in secondhand merchandise
a secondhand bookstore

secondhand

2 of 4

adverb

1
: at second hand : indirectly
heard about it secondhand
2
: as a secondhand item
bought the couch secondhand

second hand

3 of 4

noun (1)

: an intermediate person or means : intermediary
usually used in the phrase at second hand

second hand

4 of 4

noun (2)

: the hand marking seconds on a timepiece

Examples of secondhand in a Sentence

Adjective a dealer in secondhand furniture He's always haunting the secondhand shops for bargains.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Utah law declares secondhand tobacco smoke in residential units a nuisance, establishing a basis for lawsuits. Danny Nguyen, Washington Post, 15 Mar. 2024 Turns out, Eve-Lily gets many of her statement items from the vintage and secondhand world. Christian Allaire, Vogue, 14 Mar. 2024 Katherine Geisel, 32, of Brooklyn, transitioned to a mostly vintage and secondhand wardrobe a few years ago, citing a pileup of fast fashion in her closet. Stephanie Cain, New York Times, 9 Mar. 2024 Each was determined to be a hearsay report based on secondhand information, meaning there was not enough information to confirm a diagnosis of primary ovarian insufficiency (POI). Julia Coin, Charlotte Observer, 8 Mar. 2024 The green feel-good factor Sustainability is a key factor in the rapid rise of secondhand luxury. Prarthana Prakash, Fortune Europe, 3 Mar. 2024 But somehow Jones’ secondhand claims about Meek have become the headline takeaway — an indictment of our collective value system. Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 29 Feb. 2024 Another issue is the lack of choice on the secondhand market, although this was entirely predictable, and starting to smooth out now. James Morris, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2024 While there has been much controversy about the allegedly plummeting secondhand value of EVs, some of which is clearly a misunderstanding of finance and mathematics, there’s still some time to go before EVs hit mainstream affordability even secondhand. James Morris, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2024
Adverb
While there has been much controversy about the allegedly plummeting secondhand value of EVs, some of which is clearly a misunderstanding of finance and mathematics, there’s still some time to go before EVs hit mainstream affordability even secondhand. James Morris, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2024 Indya is currently also exploring buying designer pieces secondhand or discounted as well from shops like The RealReal. Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 19 Jan. 2024 Veterinarians are unsure if the illness spreads through a dog's direct contact with a sick dog or if the illness can be picked up secondhand, like through an item of clothing that has been in contact with a sick dog. Kelli Bender, Peoplemag, 24 Nov. 2023 Much of the furniture was found secondhand, from sites like 1stdibs and Chairish, or repurposed from previous tenants. Paige McGlauflin, Fortune, 3 Nov. 2023 Sneakers are sold secondhand on websites like StockX, GOAT, and eBay for hundreds of dollars over their price on the primary market. Ryan Hogg, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2023 Others shop secondhand to reduce their environmental impact, extending the lifespan of existing items that might otherwise head to the landfill. Jessica Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Aug. 2023 The average price of a watch sold secondhand has fallen by 31% since March 11, 2022, after rising steadily for much of 2021, according to data from WatchCharts, a market research platform. By amina Niasse, WSJ, 11 July 2023 Our experts also discourage shoppers from buying breast pumps secondhand for this very reason. Jamie Spain and Rachel Rothman, goodhousekeeping.com, 10 June 2023
Noun
The idea is to get the audience to focus on the second hand and assume that the coin was transferred. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 4 Apr. 2023 This action can result in the clock’s second hand appearing to remain stationary for more than a second. Tom Hawking, Popular Science, 7 Dec. 2023 Constant force from the spring is what cases the second hand to move faster— appearing smoother—on an automatic watch than a quartz watch. Brad Lanphear, Men's Health, 20 June 2023 The Economy Shop, which sold second hand clothing, accessories and home goods, was open three mornings per week. Adam Sennott, BostonGlobe.com, 3 June 2023 The movie’s main trope is the slow zoom in, which has the feel of a watch’s second hand ticking onscreen, conjuring urgency and a sense that time is rushing by at the speed of thought. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 17 Feb. 2023 Unlike many rival investors, the former psych major’s willingness and ability to listen to founders’ fears without interjecting with second hand advice, or some business school case study, has won him a loyal, and now influential following. Iain Martin, Forbes, 5 May 2023 Beacon's Closet is a fixture of the New York second hand scene with a website that gives you access to the inventory of all four locations. Brad Lanphear, menshealth.com, 15 Apr. 2023 The key difference between a chronograph watch and all other watches is that the big second hand does not actually track seconds in real time. Brad Lanphear, Men's Health, 27 July 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'secondhand.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1654, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adverb

1795, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1759, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of secondhand was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near secondhand

second hand

secondhand

secondhanded

Cite this Entry

“Secondhand.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/secondhand. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

secondhand

1 of 2 adjective
sec·​ond·​hand
ˌsek-ən-ˈhand
1
: not original : taken from someone else
secondhand reports
2
a
: having had a previous owner
a secondhand car
b
: selling used goods
a secondhand store
secondhand adverb

second hand

2 of 2 noun
: the hand marking seconds on a timepiece

More from Merriam-Webster on secondhand

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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