handle stress — manage pressure
collocationB1IELTS 5+neutralcommon
To deal with difficult or stressful situations in a calm and effective way.
Say it like a native
Textbook She copes with psychological pressure in an effective manner.
Native She handles stress really well.
'Handle stress' is the natural collocation; the formal version is clinical.
Pattern: handle stress
In use
- She knows how to handle stress during busy exam periods.daily life
- In my opinion, it's important to learn how to handle stress, especially when you have a demanding job or a lot of responsibilities.IELTS speaking
Common mistake
✗ She handles with stress well.
✓ She handles stress well.
'Handle' takes the object directly — no 'with'. ('Deal WITH stress' does take 'with'.)
Common collocations
handle stress— well, cope with, under pressure, deal with
Don't confuse it
Compare with 'deal with stress' (similar meaning), but 'handle stress' often suggests being able to manage it well.