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fettered 1 of 2

adjective

as in bound

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fettered

2 of 2

verb

past tense of fetter
1
as in tied
to confine or restrain with or as if with chains museum artifacts that serve as somber reminders of the days when slaves were fettered with irons

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in hampered
to create difficulty for the work or activity of the belief that too many rules and restrictions fetter children's creativity

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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 fettered
Verb
Perhaps capitalism can be appropriately fettered within the confines of a select few cities, inspiring a nonviolent, nationwide socialist revolution. — Idrees Kahloon, The Atlantic, 6 July 2026 While some players were able to weather that storm – defenseman Joel Edmundson played all 82 games for the first time in a career often fettered by injuries – others paid a price. — Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 30 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fettered
  1. bound
  2. tied
  3. hampered
  4. captive
  5. impeded
  6. enslaved
  7. hindered
  8. subdued
Adjective
  • The team checked this directly by computing how much of each galaxy's baryon budget actually stayed bound to the system.
    — Paul Sutter, Space.com, 9 June 2026
  • To help calculate a lower bound, Erdős assumed that the points would be laid out in a grid.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 1 June 2026
Definition of bound
Verb
  • The two-time major champion, who finished tied for 23rd at the Irish Open on Sunday, is one of the biggest stars in LIV Golf, the breakaway circuit that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last week with more than $500 million in debt.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 18 Sep. 2026
  • As the estimate draws a mix of scrutiny and praise from always-skeptical aldermen, many of whom criticized Johnson last year for using bonds to pay for the $90 million global settlement tied to corrupt former Sgt.
    — Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of tied
Verb
  • The favorite was Lamar Jackson, who was later hampered by injuries and finished with a career-low rushing output.
    — Hannah Vanbiber, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Poor air quality and limited visibility have also hampered firefighting efforts, carried out with equipment from Japan that arrived on Thursday.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of hampered
Adjective
  • The fathers of classmates had vanished — farmers held captive until their family could pay ransom.
    — Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Two employees of a Korean company in Haiti who spent weeks captive after being kidnapped by an armed gang in Port-au-Prince have been safely released, according to a statement from South Korea’s Foreign Ministry shared with the Miami Herald.
    — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of captive
Verb
  • There was a clear opposition to the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) implemented by the European Union, alongside other unilateral measures that members believe have impeded trade.
    — Mayu Saini, Footwear News, 14 Sep. 2026
  • The Bab el-Mandeb’s importance to global oil supplies has grown since shipping through the nearby Strait of Hormuz has been impeded by Iran during its war with the United States and Israel.
    — Ahmed al-Haj, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of impeded
Adjective
  • The construction of the statue, completed in 1852, involved an enslaved apprentice.
    — Kelsey Ables, The Atlantic, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Of the 10 children Edy and her husband, Joseph Fossett, an enslaved blacksmith, had together, three were born in the White House.
    — Sophie Clausen, PEOPLE, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of enslaved
Verb
  • Ben Simmons, a former All-Star whose career has been hindered by injuries and mental health issues, is returning to the NBA as a member of the Sacramento Kings.
    — Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 4 Sep. 2026
  • The new decree also implements other significant changes that had already been announced, including allowing the creation of private farming businesses, a restriction that has hindered food production on the island.
    — Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of hindered
Adjective
  • Winfrey has a more subdued take on footwear, her choices consisting of neutral tones with the occasional leopard or snakeskin.
    — Amina Ayoud, Footwear News, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Now, in the midst of a subdued market, investors are being more selective, and the new playbook for funding fashion has a lot to do with the quality of that growth, the depth of connection with customers and the founder’s individual appeal.
    — Tara Donaldson, Vogue, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of subdued

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Cite this Entry

“Fettered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fettered. Accessed 19 Sep. 2026.

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