come in handy

verb

To prove to be useful or helpful.

“Even though he doesn't really know how to use them, he keeps the tools around, figuring they might come in handy someday.”

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Meanings

verbcome in handy (third-person singular simple present comes in handy, present participle coming in handy, simple past came in handy, past participle come in handy)

present singular third person comes in handy · participle present coming in handy · past came in handy

  1. idiomaticinformalTo prove to be useful or helpful.

    Even though he doesn't really know how to use them, he keeps the tools around, figuring they might come in handy someday.

    3 more examples

    This is where what I learned in High School really came in handy.

    2010, Vernon Lucas, Standing in the Shadows of Street Legends, Xlibris, page 40

    A charismatic personality is not necessary in most managerial situations, but can come in handy in times of turmoil when workers need to be inspired and reassured about the need for significant changes in their values, goals, and group norms.

    2011, Lisa J Cohen, The Handy Psychology Answer Book, Visible Ink Press, page 326

    As I mentioned earlier, this is where an understanding of child development comes in handy!

    2013, Shelley A. Christensen, Subbing with Sanity... ...A Work of the Heart, Xlibris, page 103

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
come in useful

Translations

Catalan ser útil
  • ser útilto prove to be useful or helpful
Chinese Mandarin 派上用場 /派上用场
  • 派上用場 /派上用场 (pài shàng yòngchǎng)to prove to be useful or helpful
Danish få brug for, blive/være nyttig
  • få brug forto prove to be useful or helpful
  • blive/være nyttigto prove to be useful or helpful
Dutch van pas komen
  • van pas komento prove to be useful or helpful
Finnish tarvita, olla hyödyksi
  • tarvitato prove to be useful or helpful
  • olla hyödyksito prove to be useful or helpful
  • olla käyttöäto prove to be useful or helpful
French être utile
  • être utileto prove to be useful or helpful
German zustatten kommen, gelegen kommen
  • zustatten kommento prove to be useful or helpful
  • gelegen kommento prove to be useful or helpful
Hungarian kapóra jön, jól jön
  • kapóra jönto prove to be useful or helpful
  • jól jönto prove to be useful or helpful
  • hasznára válikto prove to be useful or helpful
  • hasznosto prove to be useful or helpful
  • (jól) használhatóto prove to be useful or helpful
Icelandic koma að góðum notum, koma að gagni
  • koma að góðum notumto prove to be useful or helpful
  • koma að gagnito prove to be useful or helpful
  • koma sér velto prove to be useful or helpful
Italian fare comodo
  • fare comodoto prove to be useful or helpful
Japanese 役に立つ, 役立つ
  • 役に立つ (yaku ni tatsu)to prove to be useful or helpful
  • 役立つ (yakudatsu)to prove to be useful or helpful
Norwegian Bokmål være god å ha, være til nytte
  • være god å hato prove to be useful or helpful
  • være til nytteto prove to be useful or helpful
  • komme til nytteto prove to be useful or helpful
Polish przydawać się, przydać się
  • przydawać sięto prove to be useful or helpful
  • przydać sięto prove to be useful or helpful
Portuguese vir a calhar
  • vir a calharto prove to be useful or helpful
Russian быть кста́ти, пригоди́ться
  • быть кста́ти (bytʹ kstáti)to prove to be useful or helpful
  • пригоди́ться (prigodítʹsja)to prove to be useful or helpful
Spanish ser útil
  • ser útilto prove to be useful or helpful
Swedish komma väl till pass
  • komma väl till passto prove to be useful or helpful
Cite this entry
APA

come in handy. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/come%20in%20handy

MLA

“come in handy.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/come%20in%20handy. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “come in handy,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/come%20in%20handy.

Source: come in handy on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.