Meaning & use
handling
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Meanings
noununcountable
The way someone deals with a situation, problem or person.
Grammar: Used with of: the handling of the crisis.
Patterns
- the handling of something
The mayor was praised for his handling of the flood.
Critics questioned the handling of the complaint.
Her calm handling of the meeting impressed everyone.
noununcountable
The way a vehicle responds to steering and control.
Grammar: Often after an adjective: good handling.
Patterns
- the handling of a car
This car has excellent handling on wet roads.
Reviewers liked the bike's sharp handling.
Heavy luggage can affect the handling of a van.
noununcountable
The act of touching, holding or moving something with your hands.
Grammar: Often found on labels: careful handling.
Patterns
- rough handling
The vase broke during rough handling.
Careful handling is required for fresh eggs.
Frequent handling can damage old paper.
noununcountablebusiness
The processing, storage or transport of goods, money or information.
Grammar: Often part of a compound: baggage handling.
Patterns
- data handling
The airline apologized for the baggage handling delays.
Data handling rules are strict in hospitals.
The company charges a fee for handling.
Common combinations
- handling of the situation
- The coach's handling of the situation calmed the players.
- baggage handling
- Baggage handling at the airport was slow.
- good handling
- The car has good handling in corners.
- rough handling
- The parcel showed signs of rough handling.
- food handling
- Safe food handling prevents illness.
- shipping and handling
- The price includes shipping and handling.
Synonyms and how they differ
- management
- Management is broader and often about running an organization, while handling is about how you deal with a specific matter.
- treatment
- Treatment focuses on how someone or something is dealt with, often fairly or unfairly, and can have a medical sense.
- control
- Control stresses power over something, especially a vehicle, while handling stresses how it responds.
- processing
- Processing suggests steps in a system, such as paperwork, while handling is more general.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: handling or handing?
handling vs handing
Handing is the -ing form of hand, meaning to give something to someone, and has no sense of management.
Practice
The bank apologized for its poor ____ of the complaint.
Choose one answer.
A noun is needed after the adjective poor and before of, and handling means the way a matter is dealt with. Handler is a person, and handled is a verb form.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “handling”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.