Manage vs. Handle — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Fiza Rafique — Updated on October 25, 2023
"Manage" implies overseeing, directing, or controlling resources or situations, while "Handle" suggests dealing with situations or objects, often hands-on. Both indicate a level of control or competence.
Difference Between Manage and Handle
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Key Differences
The words "Manage" and "Handle" both revolve around control, direction, or treatment, but are often used in different scenarios. "Manage" usually insinuates a higher level of oversight or direction, often in structured environments like businesses. A manager, for example, would manage resources, people, or processes to achieve specific outcomes. "Handle," on the other hand, often implies a more direct, sometimes physical, interaction with objects or situations.
In everyday situations, one might "handle" objects, tools, or specific tasks. It's a term that suggests direct interaction, whether that's with a tangible item or a situation. In contrast, to "manage" something, such as a project, involves overseeing its various aspects and ensuring that everything progresses smoothly.
Moreover, "Handle" can also imply dealing with challenging situations or emotions. When faced with adversity, one might be commended on how well they "handled" it. "Manage" has a broader scope, often associated with sustained efforts or long-term oversight. A person might manage their finances, indicating ongoing involvement and control.
While there's overlap in their usage, context often dictates the choice between them. For instance, in a corporate setting, one might manage a team but handle a conflict.
Comparison Chart
Definition
Overseeing or directing resources or situations.
Dealing with or having control over objects or situations.
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Level of Interaction
Often indirect, overseeing broader aspects.
Direct, hands-on approach.
Context of Usage
Structured settings like businesses or projects.
Physical objects, tasks, or challenging situations.
Duration and Scope
Implies sustained efforts or long-term oversight.
Can be short-term or specific to a situation.
Connotation
Structured control, sometimes hierarchical.
Direct control or competence in dealing with something.
Compare with Definitions
Manage
To succeed in doing something, especially with limited resources.
Despite the setbacks, they managed to finish on time.
Handle
To deal with or respond to something.
He handled the criticism well.
Manage
To take care of or be in charge of.
He manages the property while the owners are away.
Handle
To control or steer something.
She knows how to handle a car in icy conditions.
Manage
To handle or control a situation with a degree of skill.
They managed the crisis effectively.
Handle
A handle is a part of, or attachment to, an object that allows it to be grasped and manipulated by hand. The design of each type of handle involves substantial ergonomic issues, even where these are dealt with intuitively or by following tradition.
Manage
Be in charge of (a business, organization, or undertaking); run
Their elder son managed the farm
Handle
To touch, lift, or hold with the hands
You should wash your hands before you handle food.
Manage
Succeed in surviving or in achieving something despite difficult circumstances; cope
Catherine managed on five hours' sleep a night
Handle
To operate with the hands; manipulate
Can handle a jigsaw.
Manage
To have charge of; direct or administer
Manage a company.
Manage a portfolio of assets.
Handle
To deal with or have responsibility for; conduct
Handles matters of corporate law.
Manage
To exert control over; regulate or limit toward a desired end
Manage the news to minimize political repercussions.
Managed smokestack emissions.
Handle
To cope with or dispose of
Handles problems efficiently.
Manage
To direct or supervise (employees or other staff)
She manages 20 people in the department.
Handle
To direct, execute, or dispose of
Handle an investment.
Manage
To act as the manager of (a performer, for example).
Handle
To manage, administer to, or represent
Handle a boxer.
Manage
To succeed in accomplishing, achieving, or producing, especially with difficulty
Managed to get a promotion.
Managed a polite goodbye.
Handle
To deal or trade in the purchase or sale of
A branch office that handles grain exports.
Manage
To succeed in coping or dealing with
A drug that improves patients' ability to manage their disease.
Handle
To act or function in a given way while in operation
A car that handles well in the snow.
Manage
To direct or conduct business affairs.
Handle
A part that is designed to be held or operated with the hand
The handle of a suitcase.
The handle of a faucet.
Manage
To continue to get along; carry on; cope
Learning how to manage on my own.
Handle
A means of understanding or control
Has a handle on the situation.
Manage
(transitive) To direct or be in charge of.
Handle
(Slang) A person's name.
Manage
(transitive) To handle or control (a situation, job).
Handle
An alternate name or nickname, especially one chosen for self-identification on online forums or citizens band radio.
Manage
(transitive) To handle with skill, wield (a tool, weapon etc.).
Handle
(Games) The total amount of money bet on an event or over a set period of time.
Manage
(intransitive) To succeed at an attempt in spite of difficulty.
He managed to climb the tower.
Handle
The part of an object which is (designed to be) held in the hand when used or moved.
Manage
(ambitransitive) To achieve (something) without fuss, or without outside help.
It's a tough job, but I'll manage.
Handle
An instrument for effecting a purpose (either literally or figuratively); a tool, or an opportunity or pretext.
Manage
To manage to say; to say while fighting back embarrassment, laughter, etc.
"That's nice, dear!", she managed.
Handle
(gambling) The gross amount of wagering within a given period of time or for a given event at one of more establishments.
The daily handle of a Las Vegas casino is typically millions of dollars.
Manage
To train (a horse) in the manège; to exercise in graceful or artful action.
Handle
(textiles) The tactile qualities of a fabric, e.g., softness, firmness, elasticity, fineness, resilience, and other qualities perceived by touch.
Manage
(obsolete) To treat with care; to husband.
Handle
(slang) A name, nickname or pseudonym.
Manage
(obsolete) To bring about; to contrive.
Handle
(slang) A title attached to one's name, such as Doctor or Colonel.
The successful businessman was knighted and acquired a handle to his name.
Manage
The act of managing or controlling something.
Handle
(computing) A reference to an object or structure that can be stored in a variable.
This article describes how to find the module name from the window handle.
Manage
(horseriding) Manège.
Handle
A 10 fluid ounce (285 mL) glass of beer.
Manage
The handling or government of anything, but esp. of a horse; management; administration. See Manege.
Young men, in the conduct and manage of actions, embrace more than they can hold.
Down, down I come; like glistering PhaëthonWanting the manage of unruly jades.
The unlucky manage of this fatal brawl.
Handle
(US) A half-gallon (1.75-liter) bottle of alcohol.
Manage
To have under control and direction; to conduct; to guide; to administer; to treat; to handle.
Long tubes are cumbersome, and scarce to be easily managed.
What wars Imanage, and what wreaths I gain.
Handle
A point, an extremity of land.
The Handle of the Sug in Newfoundland
Manage
To guide by careful or delicate treatment; to wield with address; to make subservient by artful conduct; to bring around cunningly to one's plans.
It was so much his interest to manage his Protestant subjects.
It was not her humor to manage those over whom she had gained an ascendant.
Handle
(topology) A topological space homeomorphic to a ball but viewed as a product of two lower-dimensional balls.
Manage
To train in the manege, as a horse; to exercise in graceful or artful action.
Handle
(algebraic geometry) The smooth, irreducible subcurve of a comb which connects to each of the other components in exactly one point.
Manage
To treat with care; to husband.
Handle
(transitive) To touch; to feel or hold with the hand(s).
Manage
To bring about; to contrive.
Handle
To accustom to the hand; to take care of with the hands.
Manage
To direct affairs; to carry on business or affairs; to administer.
Leave them to manage for thee.
Handle
(transitive) To manage, use, or wield with the hands.
Manage
Be successful; achieve a goal;
She succeeded in persuading us all
I managed to carry the box upstairs
She pulled it off, even though we never thought her capable of it
The pianist negociated the difficult runs
Handle
(transitive) To manage, control, or direct.
Manage
Be in charge of, act on, or dispose of;
I can deal with this crew of workers
This blender can't handle nuts
She managed her parents' affairs after they got too old
Handle
(transitive) To treat, to deal with (in a specified way).
She handled the news with grace
The Persians handled the French ambassador shamefully
Manage
Come to terms or deal successfully with;
We got by on just a gallon of gas
They made do on half a loaf of bread every day
Handle
(transitive) To deal with (a subject, argument, topic, or theme) in speaking, in writing, or in art.
Manage
Watch and direct;
Who is overseeing this project?
Handle
(transitive) To receive and transfer; to have pass through one's hands; hence, to buy and sell.
A merchant handles a variety of goods, or a large stock
Manage
Achieve something by means of trickery or devious methods
Handle
To be concerned with; to be an expert in.
Manage
Carry on or manage;
We could do with a little more help around here
Handle
(transitive) To put up with; to endure (and continue to function).
I can't handle this hot weather.
Manage
To direct or control a business or department.
She manages a team of designers.
Handle
(intransitive) To use the hands.
Manage
To make decisions about finances, resources, or time.
She manages her finances carefully.
Handle
To illegally touch the ball with the hand or arm; to commit handball.
Handle
(intransitive) To behave in a particular way when handled (managed, controlled, directed).
The car handles well
Handle
To touch; to feel with the hand; to use or hold with the hand.
Handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh.
About his altar, handling holy things.
Handle
To manage in using, as a spade or a musket; to wield; often, to manage skillfully.
That fellow handles his bow like a crowkeeper.
Handle
To accustom to the hand; to work upon, or take care of, with the hands.
The hardness of the winters forces the breeders to house and handle their colts six months every year.
Handle
To receive and transfer; to have pass through one's hands; hence, to buy and sell; as, a merchant handles a variety of goods, or a large stock.
Handle
To deal with; to make a business of.
They that handle the law knew me not.
Handle
To treat; to use, well or ill.
How wert thou handled being prisoner?
Handle
To manage; to control; to practice skill upon.
You shall see how I will handle her.
Handle
To use or manage in writing or speaking; to treat, as a theme, an argument, or an objection.
We will handle what persons are apt to envy others.
Handle
To use the hands.
They have hands, but they handle not.
Handle
That part of vessels, instruments, etc., which is held in the hand when used or moved, as the haft of a sword, the knob of a door, the bail of a kettle, etc.
Handle
That of which use is made; the instrument for effecting a purpose; a tool.
Handle
The appendage to an object that is designed to be held in order to use or move it;
He grabbed the hammer by the handle
It was an old briefcase but it still had a good grip
Handle
Be in charge of, act on, or dispose of;
I can deal with this crew of workers
This blender can't handle nuts
She managed her parents' affairs after they got too old
Handle
Interact in a certain way;
Do right by her
Treat him with caution, please
Handle the press reporters gently
Handle
Deal with verbally or in some form of artistic expression;
This book deals with incest
The course covered all of Western Civilization
The new book treats the history of China
Handle
Touch, lift, or hold with the hands;
Don't handle the merchandise
Handle
Handle effectively;
The burglar wielded an axe
Handle
Show and train;
The prize-winning poodle was handled by Mrs. Priscilla Prescott
Handle
To touch, hold, or move with the hands.
Can you handle this box for me?
Handle
To manage a situation or responsibility.
I'll handle the logistics of the event.
Handle
The part of an object held to use or move it.
The cup has a broken handle.
Common Curiosities
Is "managing" always a long-term activity?
Not always, but it often implies sustained effort or oversight.
Is "manage" always used in a business context?
No, "manage" can also refer to handling situations, resources, or even emotions.
Can a person be both managing and handling a task?
Yes, they can manage the overall task and handle specific aspects of it.
Can "handle" refer to emotional situations?
Yes, it can mean dealing with challenges, like "handling stress."
Can "manage" imply skill or expertise?
Yes, effectively managing often requires competence or skill.
Do "manage" and "handle" have the same root origin?
No, "manage" comes from Italian "maneggiare" (handle), while "handle" is from Old English "handlian" (to touch or feel).
Does "handle" always mean physical touch?
No, it can also mean to deal with situations or responsibilities.
Can "manage" imply limited resources?
Yes, one can "manage" to do something despite limited means.
Is a door "handle" related to the verb "handle"?
Yes, both relate to the act of holding or controlling something.
Can businesses "handle" tasks?
Yes, businesses can handle tasks or responsibilities, often through their employees.
Is "managing" always done by a person?
Often, but systems or processes can also be set up to manage tasks automatically.
Can animals "handle" objects?
Yes, for example, an ape can handle tools.
Does "handle" always have a positive connotation?
No, it can be neutral or vary based on context, like "poorly handled."
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Written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
