Standard Lemma guide

hands-on

adj · noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Eastern-New-England, UK: /ˌhændz ˈɒn/
  • Eastern-New-England, UK: [ˌhæn‿ˈzɒn]
  • Northern-US, cot-caught-merger: /ˌhændz ˈɑn/
  • Northern-US, cot-caught-merger: [ˌhæn‿ˈzɑn]
  • Northern-US, cot-caught-merger: [ˌhɛən‿ˈzɑn]
  • /ˌhændz ˈɔn/ Southern US, Midland US
  • [ˌhæn‿ˈzɔn] Southern US, Midland US
  • Southern-US: /ˌhændz ˈɔʊn/
  • Southern-US: [ˌhæn‿ˈzɔʊn]
  • CMU ARPABET: HH AE2 N Z AO1 N Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Involving active participation.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Examples

  • The internship will provide hands-on training.
  • Our manager has a very hands-on approach.
  • Hands-on computing can make complicated computer tasks more natural to users.
  • The museum offers hands-on exhibits for children.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A session of active participation, often as part of training or education.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adjective satellite

Meaning 3

involving active participation

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • he's a hands-on manager
  • hands-on operations

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Possibly from the phrase all hands on deck.

Across languages

Translations

23 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 互動的 /互动的 (hùdòng de) — involving active participation
  • Chinese Mandarin: 交互式的 (jiāohùshì de) — involving active participation
  • Chinese Mandarin: 相互作用的 (xiānghù zuòyòng de) — involving active participation
  • Czech: praktický — involving active participation
  • Czech: interaktivní — involving active participation
  • Czech: aktivní — involving active participation
  • Finnish: käytännön- — involving active participation
  • Georgian: პრაქტიკული (ṗrakṭiḳuli) — involving active participation
  • Georgian: აქტიური ჩართულობის (akṭiuri čartulobis) — involving active participation
  • German: aktiv — involving active participation
  • German: handlungsbasiert — involving active participation
  • German: praktisch — involving active participation
  • Polish: zaangażowany — involving active participation
  • Polish: aktywny — involving active participation
  • Russian: практи́ческий (praktíčeskij) — involving active participation
  • Russian: акти́вный (aktívnyj) — involving active participation
  • Slovak: praktický — involving active participation
  • Slovak: interaktívny — involving active participation
  • Slovak: aktívny — involving active participation
  • Chinese Mandarin: 互動課程 /互动课程 (hùdòng kèchéng) — session of active participation
  • Chinese Mandarin: 互動工作坊 /互动工作坊 (hùdòng gōngzuòfáng) — session of active participation
  • Chinese Mandarin: 實踐活動 /实践活动 (shíjiàn huódòng) — session of active participation
  • Finnish: harjoittelu — session of active participation