1
as in restrictions
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in obstacles
something that makes movement or progress difficult
claims that government regulations are unnecessary fetters that keep him from achieving his business goals
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in handcuffs
something that physically prevents free movement
considered a seat belt a pointless fetter—until one saved his life in an auto accident
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in binds
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 hinders
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
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Recent Examples of fetters
Jane Kamensky, The Atlantic, 10 Oct. 2025
Noun
The short life of Alexander Hamilton both feeds and fetters Vaill’s project.
—Jane Kamensky, The Atlantic, 10 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fetters
Noun
-
Reductions to international student visas and the Big Beautiful Bill’s restrictions on federal student loans also serve to cost universities money.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Several neighboring cities have also eased restrictions.—
Taylor Haught,
Kansas City Star,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Making a robot run is not a simple task and requires precise balance control, terrain handling (uneven surfaces), endurance, navigation, and anti-interference capabilities (noise, obstacles, etc).—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
19 Apr. 2026
-
Football matchups featuring the Pac-12 legacy schools make loads of sense but face several obstacles.—
Jon Wilner,
Mercury News,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The officer was then recorded repeatedly punching Suarez, before placing him in handcuffs, court documents show.—
Colin Mixson,
New York Daily News,
24 Apr. 2026
-
The Okaloosa sheriff’s office said Gillum was arrested without incident Wednesday night at a hotel in Destin, and posted a photo of him being led away in handcuffs.—
Jack Brook,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
These ragtag misfits, who are all incredibly talented and who are in desperate need of each other, and the glue that binds them together is the music and the city.—
Erik Pedersen,
Oc Register,
23 Apr. 2026
-
The technique uses a special solvent called ethaline that selectively binds different metals at different voltages, allowing precise separation.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The anti-caking coating that prevents cheese from sticking together also hinders cheese from blending or melting into other foods with ease.—
Josh Miller,
Southern Living,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Conversely, destructive energy hinders performance, breeds resentment, and stifles innovation.—
Rebecca Ahmed,
Big Think,
22 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The interest highlights a broader global scramble for copper, one in which supply constraints are colliding with soaring demand from electric vehicles and power grids.—
Tiisetso Motsoeneng,
semafor.com,
22 Apr. 2026
-
By the 1980s, Agüero was among the many filmmakers working in Chile’s growing advertising industry, struggling with the practical constraints of moviemaking under the Pinochet dictatorship while also trying to find his cinematic voice.—
Christopher Vourlias,
Variety,
22 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Collins announced on Monday that after two years of legal hurdles and negotiations, the project to take over and transform InfoWars is finally getting off the ground.—
Rolling Stone,
Rolling Stone,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Developers face a gauntlet of zoning rules, permitting delays, high construction costs, expensive property taxes and local political hurdles, all of which slow or shrink projects before they ever get built.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The cell maintains this state with machines called electron transport chains that pump out thousands of protons per second.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
20 Apr. 2026
-
With a smorgasbord of food deals from local and national chains to choose from, there's no shortage of ways to celebrate.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
19 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fetters.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fetters. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.
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