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
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Recent Examples of handcuff
Ed Masley, AZCentral.com, 25 Sep. 2025
O’Keefe, 31, recorded the interaction as the Metropolitan Transportation Authority police took his wrists and put him in handcuffs.
—Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 23 Sep. 2025
Julia Marnin, Sacbee.com, 26 Sep. 2025
Then just 15 years old, the San Diegan was apparently handcuffed on the streets of the Nestor border community, wrongly and racially profiled.
—Pedro Rios, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for handcuff
Noun
Laser pointers, flashlights, handcuffs, fireworks.
—Ed Masley, AZCentral.com, 25 Sep. 2025
O’Keefe, 31, recorded the interaction as the Metropolitan Transportation Authority police took his wrists and put him in handcuffs.
—Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 23 Sep. 2025
Verb
The agents handcuff Shouhed behind his back and one places a knee on his neck to keep him down, the video shows.
—Julia Marnin, Sacbee.com, 26 Sep. 2025
Then just 15 years old, the San Diegan was apparently handcuffed on the streets of the Nestor border community, wrongly and racially profiled.
—Pedro Rios, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for handcuff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for handcuff
Noun
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Tylenol and the pressure to 'tough it out' Medical experts and scholars worry that the recent claims about Tylenol put pregnant women and families in a difficult bind.—
Juliana Kim,
NPR,
26 Sep. 2025
-
Kimmel show pause Disney's own stars also began to voice dissent, presenting a bind for a company that relies on big names to promote its signature franchises.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
23 Sep. 2025
Verb
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David Rosenberg, founder of the economic and market insights firm Rosenberg Research, similarly highlighted flaws with the gauge, including the use of GDP, which includes government sector activity that isn’t tied to corporate profits or future earnings.—
Hugh Cameron,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
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Your entire life is tied to your job.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The scandal has already impeded the effort to hold Israel accountable for the death toll in Gaza; the woman fears that anger at Israel might now lead members of the assembly to discount her story and, instead, side with Khan.—
David D. Kirkpatrick,
New Yorker,
5 Oct. 2025
-
However, 76ers guard Kennedy Chandler impeded his path, and Hart hit the hardwood in clear pain.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
2 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
By the end of the year, the grocery store and home goods chain will have opened eight new supercenters and neighborhood markets across the United States, Charles Crowson, a Walmart spokesperson, told USA TODAY this week.—
Saleen Martin,
USA Today,
3 Oct. 2025
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Amazon debuted its Fresh grocery chain in 2020, with an eye toward mass-market shoppers.—
Annie Palmer,
CNBC,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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After being hampered by injuries late in his time with the Royals, Keller is healthy and happy to be part of Chicago’s bullpen.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
2 Oct. 2025
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The appointment ends a three-month mayoral vacancy that has been hampering efforts to repair the city's aging, leak-prone water system.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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These gaps have long hindered the growth of private assets in investor portfolios.—
Henry Fernandez,
Fortune,
30 Sep. 2025
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Lower mortgage rates, which have fallen in recent weeks in anticipation of the Federal Reserve’s decision to cut rates for the first time since December 2024, are helping get buyers back to the market—but experts think that a government shutdown might hinder their return.—
Giulia Carbonaro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
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McFarlin, who could face the death penalty if convicted in the case, appeared briefly in court wearing a red jail shirt with a white tee shirt underneath, his hands shackled in front of his body and a chain around his waist.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
29 Sep. 2025
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The surveillance video shows several detainees, whose arms and legs were shackled, being hurried into the building with the help of federal agents.—
Harriet Ramos,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
27 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The minor student created memes and posted them on the Instagram account to embarrass and make fun of the students.—
Alec Johnson,
jsonline.com,
1 Oct. 2025
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That behavior is embarrassing anywhere, and goes against all of golf etiquette.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
30 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Handcuff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/handcuff. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
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