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
Relevance
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
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
Ben Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 8 June 2026
The Dallas Police Department has released body-camera footage and in-car video that shows a suspect escape from his handcuffs and drive off in a cop car as an officer in the back seat tries to stop him.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 June 2026
Julia Frankel, Chicago Tribune, 11 June 2026
In fact, sheriff's deputies handcuffed a Black man accused of assaulting another Black man.
—Marvin Hurst, CBS News, 10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for handcuff
Noun
Videos taken at the event appear to show officers pinning youth down, with one young person placed in handcuffs and young people milling around the carnival area of the annual festival.
—Ben Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 8 June 2026
The Dallas Police Department has released body-camera footage and in-car video that shows a suspect escape from his handcuffs and drive off in a cop car as an officer in the back seat tries to stop him.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 June 2026
Verb
In a screen grab from his brief appearance on Wednesday, Abu Safiya, 53, was shown handcuffed and sitting in white prison garb.
—Julia Frankel, Chicago Tribune, 11 June 2026
In fact, sheriff's deputies handcuffed a Black man accused of assaulting another Black man.
—Marvin Hurst, CBS News, 10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for handcuff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for handcuff
Noun
-
The polyphenols and tannins in coffee bind to iron in the digestive tract and block it from being absorbed.—
Allison Palmer
Updated June 13,
Sacbee.com,
13 June 2026
-
Boston Bruins The Bruins are stuck in somewhat of a bind.—
Harman Dayal,
New York Times,
13 June 2026
Verb
-
One group counts $25 million in support from OpenAI co-founder Greg Brockman and his wife, Anna, alongside $100 million tied to one of Silicon Valley’s biggest venture capital firms, which holds a large stake in OpenAI.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
21 June 2026
-
That might be a tall order on the field after Lionel Messi’s record-tying hat trick against Algeria led Argentina to victory on Tuesday.—
The Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
21 June 2026
Verb
-
The score was immediately protested by the Australians, who felt their goalkeeper had been impeded or there was an offside.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
19 June 2026
-
Too large a rotor can obstruct your suspension, impede your brakes and often won’t even fit inside your wheel or caliper.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
18 June 2026
Noun
-
The chain retailer also has locations at Arden Fair and Westfield Galleria at Roseville.—
Corey Schmidt,
Sacbee.com,
21 June 2026
-
The Viva Wyndham Dominicus Palace, part of the same chain, did not sustain any damage.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
20 June 2026
Verb
-
Popular notions of philanthropy as merely a game for the ultrawealthy to fund partisan projects and commit fraud have left the sector vulnerable to political attacks, as the Council on Foundations sees it, influencing policies that hamper essential community services.—
James Pollard,
Los Angeles Times,
15 June 2026
-
Congolese health authorities have previously said contact tracing has been hampered by community resistance in some areas and by the rapid expansion of the outbreak into new health zones, increasing the workload for surveillance teams.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 June 2026
Verb
-
As President Cyril Ramaphosa deploys soldiers and orders probes into police corruption, widespread allegations of collusion with syndicates deepen residents’ mistrust and hinder investigations into such brazen attacks.—
Michelle Gumede,
Los Angeles Times,
13 June 2026
-
More than four years since the start of Russia's full scale invasion of Ukraine, the more than 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line has remained largely static as swarms of drones hinder advances.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
13 June 2026
Noun
-
But its enduring appeal was in the bonds between the characters, Docter said.—
Cerys Davies,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2026
-
When demand falls, bond yields rise.—
Max Zahn,
ABC News,
17 June 2026
Verb
-
In northern Oregon, just before dawn in October 2025, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers arrested and shackled two farmworkers on their way to work.—
Carol Rose Little,
The Conversation,
12 June 2026
-
Joaquin Escoto, 28, entered Stanislaus County Superior Court shackled at the wrists and ankles, wearing an orange-and-white jail uniform and sitting beside his attorney and a Spanish interpreter.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
2 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Handcuff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/handcuff. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
