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
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Recent Examples of handcuff
Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2025
Fatu busted out of the handcuffs and prevented Solo from getting out of the cage.
—Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2025
Colleen Slevin, Denver Post, 30 July 2025
After the impact, Stephens then exited the Jeep, was taken to the ground by multiple officers and handcuffed.
—City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for handcuff
Noun
The curtain fell, as always, with a predawn knock, handcuffs, and a federal indictment.
—Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2025
Fatu busted out of the handcuffs and prevented Solo from getting out of the cage.
—Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2025
Verb
The city of Colorado Springs has agreed to pay $3.2 million to settle a lawsuit in the death of a man who was repeatedly hit by a Taser while resisting being handcuffed in 2018.
—Colleen Slevin, Denver Post, 30 July 2025
After the impact, Stephens then exited the Jeep, was taken to the ground by multiple officers and handcuffed.
—City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for handcuff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for handcuff
Noun
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In addition to the massive flight of capital from the country, the exodus of Russia’s tech professionals, and the disappearance of foreign direct investment, puts Putin in a bind.—
Time,
Time,
9 Aug. 2025
-
Putting carmakers in a bind The most recent EPA rule about vehicle emissions was finalized in 2024.—
Alan Jenn,
The Conversation,
5 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Those declines were tied to a drop in sales of Weyco's Nunn Bush, Stacy Adams, Florsheim and BOGS brands to retailers.—
Sofia Joseph,
jsonline.com,
9 Aug. 2025
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State lawmaker's per-diem reimbursements are tied to federal rates.—
Brittany Carloni,
IndyStar,
9 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Ward was arrested in Texas on June 12 and charged with assault on a family member by impeding breathing or circulation, which is a third-degree felony.—
Paulina Dedaj,
FOXNews.com,
8 Aug. 2025
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Sources claimed the suit could have impeded Skydance’s acquisition of Paramount, which requires approval from the FCC under the Trump administration.—
McKinley Franklin,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Those items included a rose gold and diamond bracelet worth $15,000, a rose gold and diamond chain worth $50,000, a Rolex Presidential 40mm watch worth $45,000, a Rolex Datejust watch worth $23,000, and a gold and diamond tennis chain worth $30,000.—
Rick Sobey,
Boston Herald,
13 Aug. 2025
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Companies today are facing a complex array of risks and trade-offs across value chains, starting from an increasing demand for natural resources to economic volatility and uncertainty, to witnessing climate risks.—
Vaishali Nigam Sinha,
Forbes.com,
12 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Maintain a safe distance from large vehicles - Trucks or buses can produce a water spray that hampers visibility.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
4 Aug. 2025
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After a development process allegedly hampered by a myriad of technical issues, Alexa+ started rolling out to users' Amazon Echo devices earlier this year, albeit with a limited feature set compared to Amazon's final vision for the product.—
Will McCurdy,
PC Magazine,
3 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Consumer experts as well as current and former CFPB employees, however, said the cuts will likely hinder the agency’s effectiveness.—
Joel Jacobs,
ProPublica,
6 Aug. 2025
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The rescue was made in an area that search teams had attempted to reach the day before, but were hindered by severe weather conditions.—
Jack Albright,
jsonline.com,
6 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The lawsuit accused officers of violently pulling Gibson, who was shackled, out of the back of a police vehicle and throwing him to the asphalt.—
Christina Hall,
Freep.com,
14 Aug. 2025
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Among the violations were nooses hanging in cells, the improper use of solitary confinement, detainees being handcuffed and shackled incorrectly, a lack of language support for those who didn't speak English, and medical care that was often delayed or inadequate.—
Billal Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 July 2025
Verb
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The Dodgers embarrassed them on the field and then hit the podcast circuit to shame them some more, ridiculing their defense, their baserunning, their lack of composure and even their unnecessary visits to the mound.—
Ian O'Connor,
New York Times,
1 Aug. 2025
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Big yikes: This is a sarcastic phrase to publicly mock or shame someone for a cringey comment, outfit, or behavior and is used to embarrass others in group chats or social media.—
Sherri Gordon,
Parents,
21 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Handcuff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/handcuff. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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