fetter 1 of 2

1
as in restriction
something that limits one's freedom of action or choice a time-honored tradition is fine as long as it doesn't become a fetter that prevents us from trying something new

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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fetter

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb fetter contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of fetter are clog, hamper, manacle, shackle, and trammel. While all these words mean "to hinder or impede in moving, progressing, or acting," fetter suggests a restraining so severe that freedom to move or progress is almost lost.

a nation fettered by an antiquated class system

When might clog be a better fit than fetter?

While in some cases nearly identical to fetter, clog usually implies a slowing by something extraneous or encumbering.

a court system clogged by frivolous suits

Where would hamper be a reasonable alternative to fetter?

The words hamper and fetter can be used in similar contexts, but hamper may imply the effect of any impeding or restraining influence.

hampered the investigation by refusing to cooperate

How does the word shackle relate to other synonyms for fetter?

Both shackle and manacle are stronger than fetter and suggest total loss of freedom.

a mind shackled by stubborn prejudice
a people manacled by tyranny

When can trammel be used instead of fetter?

The words trammel and fetter are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, trammel suggests entangling by or confining within a net.

rules that trammel the artist's creativity

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 fetter
Noun
Like all great period romances, Maurice places aching desire at the forefront, with the men's palpable yearning made all the more soul-shattering by the fetters of their time. Lia Beck, EW.com, 25 June 2025 But Trump famously wriggles free from such fetters and resists being hemmed in. Peter D. Feaver, Foreign Affairs, 6 Nov. 2024 Rumors circulated before the killing of Khashoggi that King Salman was concerned enough to consider putting some fetters on his heir. Daniel Benjamin, Foreign Affairs, 18 Oct. 2018 The solution to this question can be reached not by deifying the nation, but on the contrary by completely liberating productive forces from the fetters imposed upon them by the national state. Foreign Affairs, 18 Dec. 2011 One man even contrived somehow to get across while still in iron fetters. Adam Goodheart, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 Sep. 2023 Its stage is where King Kong broke his fetters in the 1933 movie. Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2023 And then there’s the New Deal, another famous attempt to slap fetters on the rough beast of capitalism. Jonah Goldberg, National Review, 22 Nov. 2019 This early recording is unique—brisk and pugnacious, a stormy, bitter Schubert raging against his earthly fetters and then distilling his passions, in the last movement, into headlong lunges, dazzling whirls, and delicate pirouettes. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2020
Verb
It’s become a common refrain by the government that the president’s executive power cannot be fettered by the courts. Ella Lee, The Hill, 19 Mar. 2025 Our vote, secret and simple, not fettered by any AI or the eyes of an authoritarian who threatens those who disagree with him, ensures that our union endures. John D. Witiak, Baltimore Sun, 6 July 2024 Ruskin felt insulted and legally fettered by the verdict. Adrian Dannatt, New York Times, 6 Dec. 2023 Certain wandered between rows of mannequins fettered with leg irons, claustrophobic dungeon cells and a towering guillotine. Jeremy Redmon, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 Oct. 2023 After the beating, he was fettered in iron chains around his ankles, which would rub his skin raw. Darcel Rockett, Chicago Tribune, 12 Sep. 2023 Teddy Roosevelt broke up the trusts, regulated the food supply, created the National Park System, and fettered the railroads. Jonah Goldberg, National Review, 22 Nov. 2019 Botany was also often fettered to expertise in gardening, another activity that fell within the realm of the feminine. Amandas Ong, The Atlantic, 17 Apr. 2018 In many developing countries, girls face two starkly divergent paths: one fettered by gender inequality and cut short by early childbearing and the other offering personal fulfillment and economic improvement that benefit families and nations. Howard Lafranchi, The Christian Science Monitor, 15 Apr. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fetter
Noun
  • The cheapest pass at Jackson Hole, WY with no blackout dates or restrictions is currently $2,950.
    Larry Olmsted, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2025
  • Meanwhile, smaller and poorer countries will find themselves with insufficient market power to use tariffs and other trade restrictions in the same way.
    Michael B. G. Froman, Foreign Affairs, 11 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Highlighting the beauty and peril of open water swimming and the obstacles women continue to face in the pursuit of equality, Vindication Swim has been praised for its vivid portrait of Gleitze as a pioneering trailblazer for women’s open water swimming around the world.
    Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 6 Aug. 2025
  • The move by Maxwell, while expected, adds to the obstacles the DOJ must overcome to release grand jury transcripts from Epstein's and Maxwell's cases.
    Tracy Wright, FOXNews.com, 5 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Those items included a rose gold and diamond bracelet worth $15,000, a rose gold and diamond chain worth $50,000, a Rolex Presidential 40mm watch worth $45,000, a Rolex Datejust watch worth $23,000, and a gold and diamond tennis chain worth $30,000.
    Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 13 Aug. 2025
  • Kroger, the largest grocery chain in the US, has over thirty-five petabytes of customer data.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Devers is bound to get back to All-Star form at the plate over the course of his career in San Francisco.
    Tim Crowley, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Aug. 2025
  • This quick chicken recipe has a thick sauce and is loaded with fresh veggies, so it's bound to be a weeknight staple.
    Jenna Sims, Southern Living, 7 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Ward was arrested in Texas on June 12 and charged with assault on a family member by impeding breathing or circulation, which is a third-degree felony.
    Paulina Dedaj, FOXNews.com, 8 Aug. 2025
  • Baltimore County is on a list of states, cities, and counties identified by the Justice Department as having policies, laws, or regulations that impede enforcement of federal immigration laws.
    Cale Ahearn, Baltimore Sun, 5 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • In that case, if AI were said to be doing religious counseling when providing mental health advice, the AI maker would apparently be free of the constraint.
    Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2025
  • Those surcharges varied by trade lane last year and were most heavily based on Asia-to-U.S. flights as the company experienced capacity constraints.
    Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 5 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Soon after, another hurdle appeared: a recurring inguinal hernia that led to frequent hospital visits, including spending Christmas Day in the emergency room.
    Daniella Gray, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Aug. 2025
  • Funneling the prescriptions through one particular pharmacy introduces a variety of logistical hurdles and delays.
    Samuel Ganz, Sun Sentinel, 17 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Those declines were tied to a drop in sales of Weyco's Nunn Bush, Stacy Adams, Florsheim and BOGS brands to retailers.
    Sofia Joseph, jsonline.com, 9 Aug. 2025
  • State lawmaker's per-diem reimbursements are tied to federal rates.
    Brittany Carloni, IndyStar, 9 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Fetter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fetter. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.

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