armful

American  

[ahrm-fool] / ˈɑrmˌfʊl /

noun

plural

armfuls

1. as much as a person can hold or carry in an arm or both arms.

2. Informal. a girl or woman with a well-rounded figure.

3. Informal. an obstreperous child; handful.

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armful British  

/ ˈɑːmfʊl /

noun

1. the amount that can be held by one or both arms

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Spelling

See -ful.

Etymology

Origin of armful

First recorded in 1570–80; arm ¹ + -ful

Example Sentences

Some of my favorite soups begin as a loose armful of aromatics and whatever vegetables are lingering in the fridge.

From Salon • Feb. 18, 2026

Or buying an armful of first editions of Denis’ work from Bonners Books.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 5, 2026

Pictures from the scene showed dozens of people stood outside the stationary train, along with rescuers in high-vis jackets - one carrying an armful of bottled water.

From BBC • Jul. 6, 2025

But he got sober, and in the years since, he got married, found a job as a creative writing professor at the University of Iowa and wrote poetry that won him an armful of awards.

From New York Times • Jan. 19, 2024

He pointed at Julia with an armful of trays.

From "When You Reach Me" by Rebecca Stead