hand over to

USAGE SUMMARY

'hand over to' is correct and can be used in written English.
It is used when you want to transfer something from one person to another, for example: "Please hand over the documents to the finance department."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

Now they hand over to "LUX-Zeplin".

The Guardian

He would leave, he said, but only when he could hand over to an elected president.

The Economist

I feel this is the right time to hand over to someone else.

The Guardian

At 77, he appeared willing to hand over to Mr. Netanyahu after one more election.

The New York Times

Agencies need only fill out a form to hand over to a phone or internet company.

The Guardian - Tech

She could opt to resign and hand over to a caretaker prime minister.

BBC

But now, for a couple of hours, you can hand over to someone else.

Huffington Post

I'll hand over to Jess.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

3 human-written examples

Trump's hand-over to Mattis suggests force levels in Afghanistan will soon begin to rise again.

The Guardian

After the hand-over to China December 20th , 1999 the Macao SAR examined its options for development.

City, Territory and Architecture

With this, we hand-over to you the task of making our world a better place.

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "hand over to" when you want to emphasize a direct transfer of responsibility or items from one person or entity to another. For example, "The CEO will hand over to the new manager next week."

Common error

Avoid using "hand over to" in extremely formal or academic contexts where more precise language like "transfer responsibility to" or "cede control to" may be more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "hand over to" functions as a phrasal verb, specifically a transitive verb, requiring a direct object. It indicates the action of transferring something—be it physical objects, responsibilities, or control—from one entity to another, as shown in Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

30%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Reference

3%

Encyclopedias

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "hand over to" is a phrasal verb indicating the transfer of responsibility, control, or possession from one entity to another. Ludwig AI identifies it as grammatically correct and commonly used. It functions as a transitive verb, requiring a direct object, and is appropriate for neutral registers, spanning across News & Media, Science and Wiki domains. While versatile, in more formal contexts, synonyms like "transfer responsibility to" or "cede control to" might be preferred. This phrase is a valuable tool for expressing the act of passing something on to another.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

transfer responsibility to

Focuses on the act of passing on a duty or obligation.

cede control to

Emphasizes the relinquishing of authority or power.

pass on to

A more general term for giving something to someone else, less formal.

give over to

Similar, but can also imply surrendering or dedicating something.

relinquish to

Highlights the act of formally giving something up.

assign to

Implies a formal allocation of a task or item.

turn over to

Suggests a physical or metaphorical act of transferring something.

entrust to

Indicates placing confidence in someone with the item or responsibility.

devolve to

Suggests a gradual transfer of power or responsibility, often within an organization.

delegate to

Specifically refers to assigning tasks to someone else.

FAQs

What does "hand over to" mean?

The phrase "hand over to" means to transfer responsibility, control, or possession of something to someone else.

Which is correct, "hand over to" or "handed over to"?

"Hand over to" is the infinitive form, while "handed over to" is the past tense form. Use the past tense when describing something that has already happened: "The documents were "handed over to" the authorities".

What can I say instead of "hand over to"?

You can use alternatives like "transfer responsibility to", "cede control to", or "pass on to" depending on the context.

How to use "hand over to" in a sentence?

Here's an example: "The president will hand over to his successor next month." This means the president will transfer their duties and power to the new president.