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
Audrey Gibbs, Nashville Tennessean, 5 Nov. 2025
Laser pointers, flashlights, handcuffs, fireworks.
—Ed Masley, AZCentral.com, 3 Nov. 2025
Katie Langford, Denver Post, 28 Oct. 2025
Attempting to handcuff Woodley, officers felt a firearm in Woodley’s jacket pocket, at which point Woodley fled.
—Isabelle Friedman, Boston Herald, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for handcuff
Noun
As the viral bit has made the rounds on social media, stars including Anne Hathaway, Drew Barrymore, Gigi Hadid and Joe Keery have found themselves in Carpenter's fuzzy handcuffs.
—Audrey Gibbs, Nashville Tennessean, 5 Nov. 2025
Laser pointers, flashlights, handcuffs, fireworks.
—Ed Masley, AZCentral.com, 3 Nov. 2025
Verb
Law enforcement began handcuffing and pulling people sitting in front of the office’s gates.
—Katie Langford, Denver Post, 28 Oct. 2025
Attempting to handcuff Woodley, officers felt a firearm in Woodley’s jacket pocket, at which point Woodley fled.
—Isabelle Friedman, Boston Herald, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for handcuff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for handcuff
Noun
-
Alvarado put the Phillies in a bind this season, and that might not be easy for those in the clubhouse to forgive.—
Jackson Roberts,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
-
Similarly to Young in Week 2 against Arizona, Dalton’s giveaways put the Panthers in a bind early.—
DIAMOND VENCES,
Charlotte Observer,
26 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Harrison tied the team high with 13 points (50% from the field) in less than 12 minutes of play.—
Hunter Bailey,
Charlotte Observer,
12 Nov. 2025
-
Then the Mitchell game-tying three and Wiggins’ game-winning dunk at the final buzzer happened.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
11 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Yet the current administration’s dismissive stance toward mRNA science, particularly COVID vaccines, could impede that effort.—
Lisa Jarvis,
Twin Cities,
8 Nov. 2025
-
New data shows Loop vacancies ballooned over the recent third quarter as post-pandemic work trends continue to impact and impede demand.—
Center Square,
The Washington Examiner,
8 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
The chain started with a single location in Rogers in 2017 and offers more than 20,000 drink combinations.—
John Magsam,
Arkansas Online,
8 Nov. 2025
-
The content creator dressed in a stunning array of jewels, a chain-style seashell dress from Paco Rabanne retailing for nearly $4,000, and a metallic purse.—
Luke Chinman,
PEOPLE,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Damage to the blood-brain barrier leads to inflammation within the brain and hampers the clearance of waste products like beta-amyloid protein (seen in Alzheimer's disease).—
Colleen Doherty,
Verywell Health,
6 Nov. 2025
-
All of these issues combined have left Target with a workforce that has grown faster than sales and a complex corporate structure that has hampered decision-making and created needless red tape.—
Gabrielle Fonrouge,Annie Palmer,Frank Holland,
CNBC,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Unfortunately, in 2025, this display has — so far — been seriously hindered by the presence of a brilliant moon.—
Joe Rao,
Space.com,
10 Nov. 2025
-
In a statement, the Justice Department told NPR the ongoing government shutdown is hindering its ability to consider appeals and reimburse organizations.—
NPR,
NPR,
10 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
To make the calculations, Bloomberg used earnings yields as a proxy for equity returns; the gap between borrowing rates in yen and Swiss francs and similar-maturity investment yields in dollars to estimate the carry; and bond indexes that capture a range of maturities for yields on government debt.—
Anya Andrianova,
Fortune,
11 Nov. 2025
-
The bond market was closed on Tuesday in observance of Veterans Day.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
11 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Court process begins with hearing Both Mahmoud and Ali were shackled as they were escorted into court Monday, according to CNN reporters who attended the hearing.—
Chelsea Bailey,
CNN Money,
4 Nov. 2025
-
Last month, immigration authorities raided a Hyundai battery plant in Georgia, detained 300 South Korean workers and showed video of some of them shackled in chains.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
18 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Handcuff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/handcuff. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.
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