as in obstacle
something that makes movement or progress difficult
students and parents who want to throw off the trammels of outdated school policies
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to bind
to confine or restrain with or as if with chains
years after his death, she was still trammeled by inconsolable grief for her deceased husband
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to impede
to create difficulty for the work or activity of
the new paperwork requirements will only trammel us and lower our productivity
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of trammel
Irene Wright,
Miami Herald,
3 Sep. 2025
The moment comes right before America Ferrera’s big monologue about the trammels of womanhood, when Robbie soliloquizes, too, about the loss of her self-esteem.
—
Wesley Morris,
New York Times,
18 Feb. 2024
Step 2: Measure and Cut Cubby Dividers Use trammel points to mark a rounded edge (an arc with a 7-1/2-inch radius) on three 6-1/2 x 19-inch boards.
—
Lucy Fitzgerald,
Better Homes & Gardens,
14 Feb. 2024
Join the top and drop leaf; then use a large trammel to mark the curved edge.
—
Thomas Klenck,
Popular Mechanics,
14 Aug. 2021
Literary Hub,
26 Nov. 2025
Children arrive into a trammeling grid of haves and have-nots set up long before their birth, a net that individual struggles serve only to tighten.
—
Benjamin Kunkel,
Harpers Magazine,
28 Mar. 2025
Diggs was trammeled by knee issues throughout 2023 as the 26-year-old was sidelined for 15 games after tearing his left ACL.
—
Stephan Pechdimaldji,
Newsweek,
14 Dec. 2024
The Founders gave an independent judiciary the responsibility of preventing the other branches from trammeling fundamental liberties of citizens.
—
oregonlive,
23 Jan. 2020
The Patriots defense, which is on pace to break NFL records for most sacks and fewest points allowed, has trammeled and trampled opposing offenses, but the schedule keeps serving up red meat or raw quarterbacks for them to prey upon.
—
BostonGlobe.com,
9 Oct. 2019
Now the area is brimming with new construction, and Ms. Medvedow, 63, is leading her institution into another less-trammeled area.
—
New York Times,
22 June 2018
Those federal laws, along with state and local equivalents, provide broad and effective remedies for unequal pay without trammeling the hiring process.
—
Gerald Skoning,
WSJ,
12 Dec. 2017
When applied to armed protests, that mindset takes our country to a dangerous place: The Second Amendment and state open carry laws cannot trammel the free speech rights of unarmed protesters and the necessity for law enforcement to keep the peace.
—
Olivia Li,
Slate Magazine,
17 Oct. 2017
Noun
In the middle of the Mediterranean, off the coast of the island nation of Malta, a professional fisherman dropped his trammel net into the water.
—
Irene Wright,
Miami Herald,
3 Sep. 2025
The moment comes right before America Ferrera’s big monologue about the trammels of womanhood, when Robbie soliloquizes, too, about the loss of her self-esteem.
—
Wesley Morris,
New York Times,
18 Feb. 2024
Step 2: Measure and Cut Cubby Dividers Use trammel points to mark a rounded edge (an arc with a 7-1/2-inch radius) on three 6-1/2 x 19-inch boards.
—
Lucy Fitzgerald,
Better Homes & Gardens,
14 Feb. 2024
Join the top and drop leaf; then use a large trammel to mark the curved edge.
—
Thomas Klenck,
Popular Mechanics,
14 Aug. 2021
Verb
The Constitution and the law are only more to be revered because they are being trammeled.
—
Literary Hub,
26 Nov. 2025
Children arrive into a trammeling grid of haves and have-nots set up long before their birth, a net that individual struggles serve only to tighten.
—
Benjamin Kunkel,
Harpers Magazine,
28 Mar. 2025
Diggs was trammeled by knee issues throughout 2023 as the 26-year-old was sidelined for 15 games after tearing his left ACL.
—
Stephan Pechdimaldji,
Newsweek,
14 Dec. 2024
The Founders gave an independent judiciary the responsibility of preventing the other branches from trammeling fundamental liberties of citizens.
—
oregonlive,
23 Jan. 2020
The Patriots defense, which is on pace to break NFL records for most sacks and fewest points allowed, has trammeled and trampled opposing offenses, but the schedule keeps serving up red meat or raw quarterbacks for them to prey upon.
—
BostonGlobe.com,
9 Oct. 2019
Now the area is brimming with new construction, and Ms. Medvedow, 63, is leading her institution into another less-trammeled area.
—
New York Times,
22 June 2018
Those federal laws, along with state and local equivalents, provide broad and effective remedies for unequal pay without trammeling the hiring process.
—
Gerald Skoning,
WSJ,
12 Dec. 2017
When applied to armed protests, that mindset takes our country to a dangerous place: The Second Amendment and state open carry laws cannot trammel the free speech rights of unarmed protesters and the necessity for law enforcement to keep the peace.
—
Olivia Li,
Slate Magazine,
17 Oct. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trammel
Noun
-
There was an element of cynicism, but not on the part of determined prosecutors who overcame obstacles and brought the case to guilty pleas by three defendants and the conviction on 21 counts of the public official who ignited the scandal.
-
But obstacles veered her away from art for years.
Verb
-
That had Ament walking on stage at Barclays Center in Brooklyn in a Heat hat despite being bound for the Bucks, with Miami selecting him for Milwaukee and the move to the Bucks still pending until July 6.
-
The measure, which was largely symbolic and not actually binding, passed the House of Representatives weeks ago.
Verb
-
The investigation also compliments previous claims that CCC’s regulations impede coastal infrastructure projects, which has drawn criticism from multiple political fronts over the last year.
-
Supporters had campaigned for Merlin to be allowed into the Azteca to witness Mexico’s final group game — but the dabbler found his free passage impeded on Wednesday evening by FIFA regulations.
Noun
-
That airflow obstruction sends oxygen levels plummeting, stimulating the pulmonary arteries to squeeze.
-
Nixon then inserted himself into an obstruction of justice case by talking with an aide about blocking the FBI investigation, which eventually led to an impeachment inquiry by the House of Representatives and his eventual resignation.
Verb
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Competing in his third World Cup, Kane had tied Lineker’s decades-old record last week with two goals in England’s 4-2 win over Croatia to open the 2026 tournament.
-
Bravo, the diaspora director at the foreign ministry, told CNN that the Peruvian government’s hands are tied.
Verb
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Officials said Friday that a group of 50 volunteers had joined the effort to look for Kinney along the banks of the lake, adding that on-and-off rain hindered the search, according to WSAZ.
-
Soaking cherry seeds helps remove the pulp, preventing rot that can hinder germination.
Noun
-
However, there are still some hurdles to surmount, particularly financing.
-
Here’s how experts suggest overcoming these hurdles.
Verb
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When aggressive prostate cancer is found while still confined in the prostate, the five-year survival rate is close to 100%, which highlights the importance of early detection, according to the doctor.
-
Each passing day brings dozens of headlines about AI investments, but innovation is not confined to Silicon Valley.
Cite this Entry
“Trammel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trammel. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
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