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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

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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
  • Know More The dispute became public earlier this year as Washington sought to negotiate new health agreements with African governments that tied US assistance to commitments on health systems, data and other areas.
    — Yinka Adegoke, semafor.com, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Its analysis found that 74% of those mentions were tied to real-world projects rather than coursework, an indication students are trying to demonstrate their applied experience.
    — Corynn Winston, CNBC, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of tied
Verb
  • Mizzou had nine penalties for 90 yards, including five in the first half, that hampered the offense.
    — PJ Green September 20, Kansas City Star, 20 Sep. 2026
  • After injuries hampered his senior season, Bass-Moore encouraged her son to finish his final year of high school and not enroll early at Notre Dame.
    — Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of hampered
Adjective
  • The woman accused of keeping him captive, 58-year-old Kimberly Sullivan, is expected to head to trial after turning down two plea deals during a hearing in Waterbury Superior Court earlier this month.
    — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 26 Sep. 2026
  • While captive whales often live only into their 30s, Marino said attributing their deaths to age fails to acknowledge the reality of why their lifespans are shorter.
    — Lila Hempel-Edgers, Chicago Tribune, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of captive
Verb
  • The ongoing conflict that has driven people from their homes in Iran as well as an internet shutdown and a lack of full cooperation from the two governments partially impeded the team's efforts to get information.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 18 Sep. 2026
  • The ongoing conflict that has driven people from their homes in Iran as well as an internet shutdown and a lack of full cooperation from the two governments partially impeded the team’s efforts to get information.
    — Jamey Keaten, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of impeded
Adjective
  • Was the prevailing idea that enslaved people were sweet and innocent and docile and as giving and forgiving as Uncle Tom?
    — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 20 Sep. 2026
  • The construction of the statue, completed in 1852, involved an enslaved apprentice.
    — Kelsey Ables, The Atlantic, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of enslaved
Verb
  • Last season as a rookie, Ferguson was hindered early in the schedule because of a hamstring injury suffered during training camp.
    — Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times, 26 Sep. 2026
  • Arrivals at the show were hindered by a combination of fans waiting to catch a glimpse of front-row guests like Monica Bellucci and Italian singer Jovanotti, and an anti-fur protest.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of hindered
Adjective
  • There are plenty of layers and body, but the bangs are slightly more subdued than a traditional shag.
    — Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 27 Sep. 2026
  • Officials have argued that betting losses have fueled public dissatisfaction with the economy, despite record-low unemployment and relatively subdued inflation in the country.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 26 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 29 Sep. 2026.

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