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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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1
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of handcuff
A.c. Thompson, ProPublica, 14 Apr. 2026
Body-camera footage shows him being placed in handcuffs, while agents searched his FedEx truck for some sign of Athena.
—Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Apr. 2026
Juliana Kim, NPR, 15 Apr. 2026
In a matter of minutes, a dozen protesters had been handcuffed.
—A.c. Thompson, ProPublica, 14 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for handcuff
Noun
With cameras rolling, Orellana, his parents and brothers were led out in handcuffs as agents searched their home.
—A.c. Thompson, ProPublica, 14 Apr. 2026
Body-camera footage shows him being placed in handcuffs, while agents searched his FedEx truck for some sign of Athena.
—Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Apr. 2026
Verb
Martinez is handcuffed and over a minute later, receives medical attention.
—Juliana Kim, NPR, 15 Apr. 2026
In a matter of minutes, a dozen protesters had been handcuffed.
—A.c. Thompson, ProPublica, 14 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for handcuff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for handcuff
Noun
-
Years of ignoring improper payments while promoting more program enrollment at all costs have now put the Commonwealth’s taxpayers in a bind.—
Tim Dunn,
Boston Herald,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Duncan, along with Council Member Melissa Robinson, expressed concern that the funding could put the city in a financial bind later in the fiscal year.—
Ben Wheeler,
Kansas City Star,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
His two-out, two-run double off Bryan Baker gave the Yankees a 3-2 lead in the eighth but Tampa Bay tied the score in the bottom half when Nick Fortes doubled leading off against Max Fried and scored on Yandy Díaz’s infield hit, a high-hopper to first baseman Ben Rice.—
Kristie Ackert,
The Orlando Sentinel,
12 Apr. 2026
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His father was the fourth generation in a long line of gentlemen ranchers—weekend cowboys who’d made their fortune in Austin as attorneys for large oil companies, but whose identity was still tied to the thousands of acres that the family owned near Marfa.—
Douglas Stuart,
New Yorker,
12 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The 23-year-old was also sentenced to an additional year in prison for assaulting, resisting and impeding federal officers.—
Lily Carey,
Baltimore Sun,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Miguel Angel Garcia Martinez faced more than 20 years in prison because of a felony assault, resist and impede case before it was dropped last month.—
Ryan Oehrli
April 16,
Charlotte Observer,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The remote chain of more than 60 islands off the tip of India, south of the Maldives, has been under British control since 1814.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Some tribes, including the Choctaw Nation in Oklahoma and Oneida Indian Nation in New York, have their own store chains.—
Mead Gruver,
Fortune,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
My enjoyment was always hampered by trying to manipulate and enlarge the grid.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Bodies were sighted, but fuel that could have been easily ignited and the natural terrain hampered rescue efforts to the point where even airboats were eventually prohibited from skimming the river of grass to help.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Moving forward, lawmakers should identify aspects of recent reforms that are hindering their intended purpose of increasing housing, while continuing to advance land-use liberalization across the state.—
Eliza Terziev,
Oc Register,
19 Apr. 2026
-
Since October of last year, the agency has lost more than 1,500 agents, and these unfilled positions have severely hindered operational capacity at a critical moment.—
La'Tasha Givens,
CBS News,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Mullins was arrested and charged with assault on a police officer, disorderly conduct and interfering with police and was held on a $150,000 bond, police said.—
Staff Report,
Hartford Courant,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Adams was released from jail after posting a $225,000 bond but is required to wear an electronic monitoring device, local media reported.—
Louis Casiano,
FOXNews.com,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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McCaffrey, wearing an orange jumpsuit and shackled at the wrists and waist, appeared largely expressionless during the brief proceeding, which lasted less than five minutes, WCIV reported.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
20 Apr. 2026
-
While searching one of his homes, police discovered a room with a television screen broadcasting security footage and could see the elderly couple in a concrete room shackled to a wall, blindfolded.—
Alexandra Schonfeld,
PEOPLE,
14 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Handcuff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/handcuff. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
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