as in bound
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Dissimilar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fettered
Adjective
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The bound, heavy scriptures were placed on the cot and carried off in a procession to its sleeping quarters.—
Norma Meyer,
Oc Register,
4 Feb. 2026 -
The teenage phenom who seemed bound to start at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar instead fell down the depth chart.—
Paul Tenorio,
New York Times,
2 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Rai led by one stroke when play was suspended Thursday but bogeyed 18 early Friday to drop into a tie and shot a second-round 70, leaving him tied for 12th with South African Aldrich Potgeiter, Ryan Fox and 2021 Genesis champion Max Homa at the halfway point.—
Steve Galluzzo,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Feb. 2026
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Meanwhile Trump — a longtime friend of Epstein’s whose name allegedly appears in the files over a million times — and other figures working within or tied to his administration seem to not only hang above the fray, but enjoy the protection of the American justice system.—
Emily Zemler,
Rolling Stone,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Weather conditions and continued fears of another avalanche, have hampered recovery efforts, Nevada County Sheriff’s Office said in a Friday statement.—
Darrell Smith
Updated February 20,
Sacbee.com,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Navratil’s efforts to boost performance at the struggling Swiss multinational have been hampered by a major infant formula recall.—
Hanna Ziady,
CNN Money,
19 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Michael, a character study inspired by a real-life child molester who, in 1998, kidnapped a young girl and kept her captive in a secret room under his garage.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
16 Feb. 2026
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The mismatched band of captors can’t agree on anything, and thus cannot act; their captive, bound and sedated and locked in a crate, is a nonentity for much of the movie.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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It’s helped by the mascot at a certain point, rather than impeded.—
Zach Harper,
New York Times,
12 Feb. 2026
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The ministry posted a statement in Spanish on X saying Consulate officials immediately impeded the agents from entering the consulate’s premises, protecting Ecuadorian nationals who were inside the building.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The home was likely used as a safe house for enslaved people fleeing the South, and the passageway’s design reflects careful planning to keep that purpose hidden from anyone who might come looking.—
Ryan Brennan,
Miami Herald,
13 Feb. 2026
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The home was likely used as a safe house for enslaved people fleeing the South.—
Ryan Brennan,
Kansas City Star,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But online, this particular bombshell—that ANTM hindered rather than helped burgeoning supermodels—proves especially surprising to viewers.—
Madeline Hirsch,
InStyle,
17 Feb. 2026
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These wafers offer fewer recombination sites, which can significantly enhance electrical performance, but their practical use has been hindered by fragility.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The case has deeply embarrassed the royal family, especially his mother, who suffers from an incurable lung illness and who is torn between her role as mother and future queen.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
10 Feb. 2026
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Their votes sunk Belichick’s chances and embarrassed the Hall of Fame in the process.—
Rob Maaddi,
Twin Cities,
28 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Fettered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fettered. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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