1
as in ties
to confine or restrain with or as if with chains
prisons tend to bind convicted criminals for transport
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in bandages
to cover with a bandage
bind the wound to stop the bleeding
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in threads
to gather into a tight mass by means of a line or cord
bind the asparagus spears carefully before packing the bunches
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in pickles
a difficult, puzzling, or embarrassing situation from which there is no easy escape
with our vacation week fast approaching, and no arrangements for the care of our pets, we were in a serious bind
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in chains
something that physically prevents free movement
the store owner held the would-be burglar in a makeshift bind until the police officers could arrive
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of binds
Kelsey Warner, semafor.com, 12 Mar. 2026
But Lucero said the Minnesota Human Rights Act binds all ride-share companies, including Uber.
—Steve Karnowski, Twin Cities, 11 Mar. 2026
Coal beds, where hydrogen binds to coal layers, offer higher potential density but pose difficulties for extraction.
—Promise Longe, The Conversation, 26 Feb. 2026
Buckeye by Patrick Ryan A fleeting moment of passion in post–VE Day Ohio binds Cal Jenkins and Margaret Salt, setting off a chain of secrets that spans generations.
—Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 26 Feb. 2026
The document binds none of them.
—The Ai Insider, Interesting Engineering, 23 Feb. 2026
But maybe in a film as deeply personal as this, in which grief is the glue that binds each scene together, there needn’t be an overarching theme or narrative beyond the desire for remembrance.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 20 Feb. 2026
These dimensions normally cohere in the speaker, which binds a person to their words.
—Deb Roy, The Atlantic, 15 Feb. 2026
Selenium binds to protein, so protein-rich foods are usually high in this mineral.
—Carrie Madormo, Verywell Health, 11 Feb. 2026
Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 9 Jan. 2026
Verb
Human rights groups warned at the time that the policy brought Kuwait closer to the kafala, or sponsorship system, that binds a migrant worker’s residency to their employer, which is still in use across the region.
—Kelsey Warner, semafor.com, 12 Mar. 2026
But Lucero said the Minnesota Human Rights Act binds all ride-share companies, including Uber.
—Steve Karnowski, Twin Cities, 11 Mar. 2026
Coal beds, where hydrogen binds to coal layers, offer higher potential density but pose difficulties for extraction.
—Promise Longe, The Conversation, 26 Feb. 2026
Buckeye by Patrick Ryan A fleeting moment of passion in post–VE Day Ohio binds Cal Jenkins and Margaret Salt, setting off a chain of secrets that spans generations.
—Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 26 Feb. 2026
The document binds none of them.
—The Ai Insider, Interesting Engineering, 23 Feb. 2026
But maybe in a film as deeply personal as this, in which grief is the glue that binds each scene together, there needn’t be an overarching theme or narrative beyond the desire for remembrance.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 20 Feb. 2026
These dimensions normally cohere in the speaker, which binds a person to their words.
—Deb Roy, The Atlantic, 15 Feb. 2026
Selenium binds to protein, so protein-rich foods are usually high in this mineral.
—Carrie Madormo, Verywell Health, 11 Feb. 2026
Noun
There’s a lot of deus ex machina resolution of tight binds, things that happen off-screen and are waved away.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 9 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for binds
Verb
-
The big story India rarely ties its foreign policy to a single partner or bloc.—
Priyanka Salve,
CNBC,
12 Mar. 2026
-
The deal ties Pipkins to the Chargers for his eighth and ninth seasons in the NFL.—
Elliott Teaford,
Oc Register,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The six-hour event at Art History Brewing in Geneva was offered by the Streetz Artz Alliance group and featured more than a dozen local artisans whose products ranged from hot sauce and custom woodwork to body care products, jewelry, bread, pickles and more.—
David Sharos,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Burd, who hates pickles, was hesitant to eat it and felt like throwing up.—
Ryan Brennan,
Kansas City Star,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Like many mattress brands, some hotel chains offer a lengthy trial period, warranty, and even white glove delivery to make a pricey purchase worthwhile.—
Nashia Baker,
Architectural Digest,
9 Mar. 2026
-
The concept resembles drive-through beverage chains such as Dutch Bros Coffee and the Human Bean.—
Nicole Buss,
Sacbee.com,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Maintain a safe distance from large vehicles - Trucks or buses can produce a water spray that hampers visibility.—
KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT,
Kansas City Star,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Maintain a safe distance from large vehicles - Trucks or buses can produce a water spray that hampers visibility.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Winning from behind is not sustainable, and the predicaments in which Chelsea have found themselves this week point to other problems.—
Liam Twomey,
New York Times,
1 Feb. 2026
-
Rustin has slyly given her script a focus on women’s needs and feelings, a welcome departure for a genre that usually is more concerned about the men’s predicaments.—
Matthew J. Palm,
The Orlando Sentinel,
18 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
They were placed in handcuffs and put in the back of a car while FBI agents searched their home and took items such as computers, cell phones and some paper documents, according to the newspaper.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Officers caught up to the suspect, who allegedly resisted arrest but was eventually placed in handcuffs.—
Colleen Cronin,
Boston Herald,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Gas prices are ticking higher as the Iran war constrains global oil supply.—
Mary Cunningham,
CBS News,
5 Mar. 2026
-
This vigilance becomes automatic, a psychological mask that protects but also constrains.—
Rabbi Bruce D. Forman,
Sun Sentinel,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Readers send Miss Manners not only their table and party questions, but those involving the more complicated aspects of life - romance, work, family relationships, child-rearing, death - as well as philosophical and moral dilemmas.—
Judith Martin,
Dallas Morning News,
10 Mar. 2026
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Ownership’s choice to have Brzezinski oversee these weighty dilemmas in the aftermath of Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s firing was not random.—
Alec Lewis,
New York Times,
6 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Binds.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/binds. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.
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