fistfuls

Tightly clutched amounts

Fistfuls is the plural of fistful—amounts that can be held in a closed hand.

The word emphasizes quantity and often suggests grabbing or taking eagerly: She threw fistfuls of confetti.

Figuratively, fistfuls implies abundance or excess: He was making fistfuls of cash.

quantity

handfuls

Quantities a palm holds

  • gobsHeaps, informally
  • heapsLarge informal quantities
  • loadsLarge quantities

bunches · clumps · wads · clumps · scoops · portions · amounts · chunks · batches

grabbing

coins

Metal money units

  • sandFine rock particles
  • hairFibrous scalp covering
  • grassNarrow-leaved ground cover

dirt · candy · berries · seeds · pebbles · popcorn · confetti · petals · nuts · rice

aggression

hair-pulling

Extremely frustrating experience

tugging · yanking · grasping · clutching · wrestling · scuffle · rage · desperation

Opposites
quantity/amount

fistfulsspecks

Minute spots or particles

traces · pinches · morsels · smidgens · crumbs

precision of measurement

fistfulstablespoons

Units of culinary measurement

grams · milliliters · teaspoons · ounces · standardized units

manner of taking/handling

fistfulspinches

Tiny measured quantities

nibbles · sips · tastes

Family

fistful

Familiarity
Top 200,000
Profile
Known to kids · Used worldwide · Timeless · Concrete · Everyday, not technical · Rated G