HANDCUFF Synonyms: 141 Similar and Opposite Words

handcuff 1 of 2

noun

ˈhan(d)-ˌkəf

Definition of handcuff

as in bind

usually handcuffs plural something that physically prevents free movement the man reluctantly held out his wrists so the policeman could snap on handcuffs

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handcuff

2 of 2

verb

as in to bind

to confine or restrain with or as if with chains wanted to take the trip, but was handcuffed by her responsibility to watch her ailing father

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to impede

to create difficulty for the work or activity of the fear that the new mandatory, standardized tests will handcuff the state's teachers, who will have to specifically tailor their lesson plans for the test

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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 handcuff

Noun

The Democrats wrote in a summary of the allegations that immigrants sleep while restrained with handcuffs, leg irons and belly chains, and even elderly people have been chained for 16 hours a day. — Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 21 Sep. 2026 At least one uninjured person in civilian clothes was put in handcuffs on the scene, according to video provided by Siegel. — Sergio Martínez-Beltrán, NPR, 20 Sep. 2026

Verb

The hours of footage capture officers questioning Mangione at the fast-food restaurant on the morning of December 9, 2024, before he is handcuffed, searched and transported to the police station. — Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2026 Pictures posted online purporting to show the site of the arrest showed several shirtless men handcuffed, sitting on the ground. — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 27 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for handcuff

Recent Examples of Synonyms for handcuff

Noun

More recently, in 2023, Belarusian embassies abroad stopped extending or renewing passports entirely, putting dissidents who fled the country in a similar bind to those from Myanmar.

— Andrew Nachemson, The Dial, 22 Sep. 2026
Feasting on neutrality Few illustrate the current bind better than Caitlin Clark.

— Jerry Brewer, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of bind

Noun

Contract pharmacies grew from roughly 1,300 in 2010 to more than 31,000 by mid-2026, dominated by the largest chains.

— Casey B. Mulligan, STAT, 8 Oct. 2026
Not only are those objectively terrible ideas, but chains of title put guardrails on what studios can do with many iconic characters.

— Brent Lang, IndieWire, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of chain

Verb

Another option via the Danube river has been hampered by low water levels; and a key bridge out of Ukraine has been damaged.

— Jenni Reid, CNBC, 10 Oct. 2026
Aside from demanding that fans in the Pacific time zone set their alarms for an ungodly early start to their Sunday viewing slate, the International Series games have been hampered by NFL Network’s status as a basic-cable channel.

— Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of hamper

Verb

The chair of Fayette County Democrats, Tracy Wilson, said the Uniontown Police Department is already short-staffed and underfunded and believes the program could hinder officers from answering calls.

— CBS News, CBS News, 8 Oct. 2026
Celebrity guests accompany the contestants, ideally helping and not hindering them, to an all-or-nothing final, where one test decides everything, including the true identity of the player.

— Max Goldbart, Deadline, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of hinder

Noun

Nathan created an atmosphere of tension that backfired spectacularly by wedging a distance between himself and his deckhands and strengthening the bond between Joe and Cooper.

— Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2026
The show, which has five 60-minute episodes, is a warm-hearted factual entertainment format celebrating the bond between people and their animals.

— Leo Barraclough, Variety, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of bond

Verb

All of the deportees were shackled at the ankles and wrists while in the air.

— Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026
The whistleblower claims also allege that officers were told to shackle people around the clock at one point to address a lack of staffing.

— Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 23 Sep. 2026