CHAINS Synonyms: 216 Similar and Opposite Words

chains 1 of 2

noun

plural of chain

as in sequences

a series of things linked together the chain of events that led the American colonies to seek independence from Great Britain

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Relevance

as in obstacles

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

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as in handcuffs

something that physically prevents free movement chains on the prisoner's ankles

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chains

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of chain

as in binds

to confine or restrain with or as if with chains chaining up the dog in the backyard

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as in strings

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

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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 chains

Noun

Better, perhaps, to have the power to choose who can see you—a jangle of chains, a nod, a hanky, a flick of the wrist. —

Literary Hub, 26 May 2026 Standouts right now include receipt-privacy cases against grocery chains, a data-breach settlement for Xfinity customers and a big Google Assistant privacy payout for people whose smart speakers or phones accidentally recorded them. —

Staff Reports, USA Today, 25 May 2026 Such chains are positioned as more convenient than stand-alone cafes and largely appeal to commuters and families going to and from school. —

Auzinea Bacon, CNN Money, 25 May 2026 Delays in identifying Ebola cases allow silent transmission chains to develop before containment measures are implemented. —

Steve Brozak, Forbes.com, 25 May 2026 African industrial policy should focus less on immediately replicating East Asian electronics manufacturing and more on steadily climbing value chains already rooted in African comparative advantages. —

W. Gyude Moore, semafor.com, 25 May 2026 At times, the wildlife center said, neighbors who oppose them have blocked Coleman Road with logs, stones, gravel berms, and heavy ropes and chains. —

Dana Hedgpeth The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 24 May 2026 Addressing Canal+‘s investment in UGC, one of France’s top exhibition chains, Saada sought to downplay suggestions of an imminent takeover while leaving the door open to a future acquisition. —

Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 18 May 2026 Cars can be rented from national chains at both Hilo and Kona airports, and through car-sharing apps such as Turo. —

Kait Hanson, Travel + Leisure, 16 May 2026

Verb

To address this, Ivo uses a multi-step pipeline that chains together more than 400 model calls for each contract review. —

Charlie Fink, Forbes.com, 20 Jan. 2026 Tokyo Central is owned by Japanese company Pan Pacific Retail Management, which also runs the grocery chains Gelson’s and Don Quijote. —

John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 3 Dec. 2025 Texas Roadhouse, which also operates casual dining chains Bubba’s 33 and Jaggers, is expected to report third-quarter results at the end of October. —

Natasha Abellard, CNBC, 3 Oct. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for chains

Noun

Granted, none of the many action sequences match the scale of those in the 2015–19 Star Wars movie trilogy.

— The Week US, TheWeek, 25 May 2026
Principal photography is scheduled to run from September through October in Manila, with additional sequences to be shot in Brazil.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 25 May 2026