handyman

[han-dee-man] / ˈhæn diˌmæn /

NOUN

jack-of-all-trades

Synonyms

STRONGEST

helper

WEAK

hired man man-of-all-work

Frequently Asked Questions

What is another word for handyman?

A handyman (plural handymen) is a person who can be hired to do various small jobs (often called odd jobs), especially in a home, apartment building, or office building. A similar word is repairman, and handymen are often hired to repair things, but they also offer other services, such as maintenance or small-scale construction or renovation. Handymen are known for doing any job that needs to be done and having experience and knowledge in many areas. For this reason, a handyman is often referred to as a jack-of-all-trades (the much less common man-of-all-work means the same thing). This often implies that they are generalists, rather than specialists in a particular area, such as plumbing or roofing.

What is a better, gender-neutral word for handyman?

Despite its use of man, the word handyman is often used regardless of gender. The term handyperson is a gender-neutral alternative, but it’s not commonly used. The term handywoman can be used to refer to a woman in this role. Handyman is the most common way of referring to such a person, and there aren’t common terms that mean the exact same thing. Handymen are often independent contractors, meaning they don’t work for a company but instead offer their services as part of their own business, so this is one potential alternative for the word handyman. Another is general contractor, though this may suggest someone who takes on larger projects.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

handyman handymen

Users of Instinct can call or text the AI bot and ask it to respond to emails, manage calendars, book a ride to the airport, arrange a handyman and more.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 26, 2026

If you have to wait for a building superintendent or a handyman, an experience that is notoriously clock-agnostic, it’s no big deal to work from home that afternoon.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 30, 2026

A nameless handyman with a mysterious past that receives, and requires, no explanation, Miao’s face is plenty expressive.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 11, 2026

“He was the cook, the handyman, he was the caretaker,” the imam said.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 22, 2026

I especially loved accompanying him to his cleaning or handyman work or as he ran his errands downtown, where the White people worked.

From "Reaching for the Moon" by Katherine Johnson

Founder Kale Li told AFP she first became interested in the industry after becoming tired of dealing with inconsistently priced and unreliable handymen in southwestern Chengdu, where she lives.

From Barron's ● Jul. 8, 2026

She told the couple the company was "useless and expensive" and asked them to contact one of her handymen.

From BBC ● Apr. 27, 2024

Even as sales to "Pro-customers" - which includes professional builders, contractors and handymen - were positive in the reported quarter, the company is bracing for softer-than-expected demand for discretionary purchases, CEO Marvin Ellison said.

From Reuters ● May 23, 2023

I had just bought a home, and I was hearing a lot of funny stories about handymen and contractors shooting themselves in the foot when it comes to their work.

From New York Times ● Apr. 1, 2023

The Eberts hired professional gardeners and various domestic troubleshooters—plumbers, electricians, and handymen arrived in step vans to do their dirty work—but the Crows always hired neighborhood people.

From "Snow Falling on Cedars: A Novel" by David Guterson

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