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

Her presence is heralded not by the sounds of howls, roars or clanking chains, but by the shutting of the door to her study, the scrape of her chair as it is pulled towards her desk, and the clanking of her type-writer keys. —

Literary Hub, 9 June 2026 Foot-traffic data show shoppers fleeing apparel, electronics and home-furnishing chains for warehouse clubs, supermarkets and dollar stores, while toys and beauty products remain rare splurges in an increasingly needs-first marketplace. —

Anne D’innocenzio, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2026 More than seven in 10 of six-figure earners now shop at discount grocery chains to save cash, according to a 2025 report from Clarify Capital. —

Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 8 June 2026 One of the most important ways to get an outbreak under control is contact tracing, which can help break chains of transmission by identifying people who might have been exposed. —

Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN Money, 6 June 2026 This cracks long plastic chains into smaller hydrocarbon chunks. —

Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 6 June 2026 Tarasiuk bypassed the traditional distribution model entirely, securing theatrical exhibition directly with theater chains without partnering with a distributor. —

Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 4 June 2026 The research firm said discretionary retail visits dipped below prior-year levels in late April, and by mid-May, even essential, non-discretionary chains saw a year-over-year decline. —

Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 4 June 2026 Jalen Tolbert was Willis’ favorite target Wednesday, utilized in every period to move the chains for the offense. —

Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 3 June 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

What truly sets it apart, however, is its vibrant and colorful universe, where imagination can suddenly burst onto the screen in musical-like dance sequences.

— Zac Ntim, Deadline, 8 June 2026
The early retirement years are when a portfolio is most vulnerable to bad market sequences, and starting five years earlier means five more years exposed to that vulnerability.

— Jon Sabes, Fortune, 7 June 2026