1
as in sequence
a series of things linked together
the chain of events that led the American colonies to seek independence from Great Britain
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in obstacle
something that makes movement or progress difficult
this community will grow and prosper only after it has thrown off the chains of ignorance and prejudice
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in bracelet
something that physically prevents free movement
chains on the prisoner's ankles
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in to bind
to confine or restrain with or as if with chains
chaining up the dog in the backyard
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to connect
to put or bring together so as to form a new and longer whole
the prosecutor meticulously and brilliantly chained all the evidence together in his closing argument
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of chain
Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 26 Sep. 2025
Located at North John Wayne Parkway and Honeycutt Road in Southbridge Marketplace, the new store will be the chain's first location in Maricopa.
—Reia Li, AZCentral.com, 26 Sep. 2025
Nino Paoli, Fortune, 15 Sep. 2025
Prometheus was chained to a rock for stealing the fire of the gods and giving it to human beings.
—Alan Lightman
september 12, Literary Hub, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for chain
Noun
London — Data including photos, addresses and the names of more than 8,000 children has been stolen by cyber hackers targeting a nursery chain in the United Kingdom, British news outlets have reported.
—Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 26 Sep. 2025
Located at North John Wayne Parkway and Honeycutt Road in Southbridge Marketplace, the new store will be the chain's first location in Maricopa.
—Reia Li, AZCentral.com, 26 Sep. 2025
Verb
Though the United States decided against deportation, images of the workers being chained and handcuffed during the raid caused widespread alarm in South Korea.
—Nino Paoli, Fortune, 15 Sep. 2025
Prometheus was chained to a rock for stealing the fire of the gods and giving it to human beings.
—Alan Lightman
september 12, Literary Hub, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for chain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chain
Noun
-
Anthony Whaley batted away a pass from Wood during a fourth-and-long sequence in the waning seconds, as his team held on to knock off the two-time reigning Div.—
Brendan Connelly,
Boston Herald,
27 Sep. 2025
-
The roughly five-minute sequence is shot in tight close-up on Day-Lewis, who oscillates between anger, pain and gleeful contempt.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
26 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Over the next 12 months, HMS will gain access to mentorship, commercial opportunities, business and legal advisory, digital tools, and physical resources such as co-working spaces and wet labs, support designed to help early-stage companies overcome common obstacles that startups face.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
29 Sep. 2025
-
The permit problem According to Saltzer, capture is lagging because, despite available storage and existing pipelines, permitting new CO2 infrastructure remains a major obstacle.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Or tennis bracelets and home appliances?—
Judith Martin,
Mercury News,
26 Sep. 2025
-
Shine All Season Long with These Jewelry Essentials BaubleBar’s sale section is brimming with jewelry finds to change up your looks this season, from necklaces and bracelets to head-turning earrings.—
Toni Sutton,
PEOPLE,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
His crushing final monologue, in which Vladimir confronts his own nihilism, is as potent as anything you're bound to see on Broadway this year.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
29 Sep. 2025
-
Storing cheese on your refrigerator shelves or worse, in the door, are bound to cause issues more quickly.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
28 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The morning kicked off behind the Rose Creek Cottage and was one of many activities hosted by Friends of Rose Creek, an organization aimed at preserving the natural habitat and connecting community members.—
Madison Beveridge,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Sep. 2025
-
Both capitals sit along the Skagerrak and Kattegat straits, home to busy shipping lanes which connect the North Sea to the Baltic Sea.—
David Brennan,
ABC News,
25 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Whereas a rival might build four huge trains, VG’s new Plaquemines campus will soon count 36 modular trains when it’s completed.—
Jordan Blum,
Fortune,
25 Sep. 2025
-
Kyiv first stepped up drone attacks on Russian refineries, pumping stations and fuel trains in an attempt to disrupt fuel supply chains over the summer when demand is traditionally high as people drive more during vacation time.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
25 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The additional hurdle for H-1B visas—a category for high-skilled workers that many tech companies rely upon—could undermine America’s ability to attract top tech talent, Bansal explained.—
Kristin Stoller,
Fortune,
29 Sep. 2025
-
Of course, there’s still a final hurdle for Cootes to leap over in the final week of the preseason.—
Thomas Drance,
New York Times,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
David Rosenberg, founder of the economic and market insights firm Rosenberg Research, similarly highlighted flaws with the gauge, including the use of GDP, which includes government sector activity that isn’t tied to corporate profits or future earnings.—
Hugh Cameron,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
-
Your entire life is tied to your job.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
1 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Chain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chain. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share