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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Newer chains like Raising Cane’s, Dave’s Hot Chicken and Wingstop focused on chicken tenders and sauces, making KFC’s buckets of bone-in chicken look out of date. — ABC News, 24 Sep. 2026 The segment includes chains like The Capital Grille and Ruth's Chris. — Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 24 Sep. 2026 McDonald’s troubles are part of broader economic issues affecting all dining chains, with rising food prices causing customers to dine out less. — Jordan Valinsky, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2026 Like at his Moxie’s restaurant in Southlake, the menu appeals to local diners who want something a notch better than chains. — Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Sep. 2026 The national chains can afford to chase the app-only shopper and let everyone else sort themselves out. — Elie Y. Katz, Forbes.com, 23 Sep. 2026 Countries and companies must scale up infrastructure to manage the impact of rising global temperatures, while also future-proofing key value chains. — Henry Fernandez, Fortune, 23 Sep. 2026 Never park on dry vegetation, ensure trailer chains do not drag and dispose of smoking materials responsibly. — Brian Sherrod, CBS News, 17 Sep. 2026 Four other grocery chains with stores in California — 99 Ranch Market, Trader’s Joes, Whole Foods Market and Sprouts Farmers Market — also landed on USA Today’s list. — Sacbee.com, 17 Sep. 2026

Verb

Restaurant chains Chipotle and QDOBA pulled jalapeños last week. — Youri Benadjaoud, ABC News, 9 Aug. 2026 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

And, of course, there are more gunfights and suspense sequences, including with champagne bottles as blunt weapons for Knightley in her second-season return.

— Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 24 Sep. 2026
But sequences in the film that show his inner torment serve an important purpose, says Primetime editor Daniel Garber.

— Samantha Bergeson, Vanity Fair, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of sequences

Noun

But there are multiple obstacles to pivoting the US potash supply, including Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko’s doubts about a deal.

— Matt Egan, CNN Money, 23 Sep. 2026
And SpaceX will need to overcome those obstacles to Starship’s full operational status soon.

— Josh Dinner, Space.com, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of obstacles

Noun

Paden’s father, Jim Paden, wiped away tears with a handkerchief at the sight of his son in handcuffs and clad in an orange jail garb.

— Glenn Rice, Kansas City Star, 21 Sep. 2026
The Democrats wrote in a summary of the allegations that immigrants sleep while restrained with handcuffs, leg irons and belly chains, and even elderly people have been chained for 16 hours a day.

— Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of handcuffs

Verb

The Model Context Protocol’s authorization specification binds an access token to the server it was issued for and requires servers to reject tokens that were not.

— Dr. Aditya Vikram Kashyap, Forbes.com, 22 Sep. 2026
The emulsifier binds the components together and leads to a smooth, complete melt.

— Teresa Mull, FOXNews.com, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of binds

Verb

Antinous attempts to shrug off the token’s return, but seemingly recognizes it, and realizes in full that Odysseus has returned for revenge when the man strings his bow.

— Tommy McArdle, PEOPLE, 17 July 2026
From Key Largo to Key West, the Overseas Highway strings the islands together like beads, running past lighthouses, underwater coral reef parks, and across the postcard-worthy Seven Mile Bridge.

— Sarah Rose, Travel + Leisure, 25 June 2026

Definition of strings

Noun

Producer prices on diesel, a critical fuel that powers trucks, tractors and trains, surged by 78% in August, according to the BLS.

— Matt Egan, CNN Money, 23 Sep. 2026
An August report by Ukrainska Pravda also highlighted a new railway construction capable of handling military trains in Belarus' Gomel Oblast near the Ukraine border.

— Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of trains

Noun

At a meeting of the group's board, the governors unveiled a 66-project blueprint to get things started while acknowledging enormous hurdles that must still be overcome.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 24 Sep. 2026
Overcoming technical hurdles in core design Because the reactor layout is never fixed, scientists could not rely on a standard conversion design.

— Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of hurdles

Noun

There was a real focus on design, from oversized ovals and circles to unconventional case shapes and highly articulated bracelets, with bold color coming from a wide range of hard stones.

— Victoria Gomelsky, Robb Report, 21 Sep. 2026
Her bracelets have since reached all 50 states and more than 50 countries.

— Eric Henderson, CBS News, 21 Sep. 2026