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
Kelsy Mittauer, CBS News, 5 Mar. 2026
He was taken from the courtroom in handcuffs.
—Maxime Tamsett, CNN Money, 3 Mar. 2026
Camilo Montoya-Galvez, CBS News, 7 Mar. 2026
The blue Ford quickly comes to a full stop and Martinez is pulled from the vehicle and handcuffed by multiple officers.
—ABC News, 7 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for handcuff
Noun
The 57-year-old was dressed in an orange and white prison uniform with handcuffs and chains on her wrists.
—Kelsy Mittauer, CBS News, 5 Mar. 2026
He was taken from the courtroom in handcuffs.
—Maxime Tamsett, CNN Money, 3 Mar. 2026
Verb
South Padre Island Police Department After he's shot three times, Martinez is seen being pulled from his vehicle, thrown to the ground by an ICE agent, face down, and then handcuffed.
—Camilo Montoya-Galvez, CBS News, 7 Mar. 2026
The blue Ford quickly comes to a full stop and Martinez is pulled from the vehicle and handcuffed by multiple officers.
—ABC News, 7 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for handcuff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for handcuff
Noun
-
California operates under a jungle primary system, meaning Calvert and Kim could both advance to the general election, which could put the House Republican campaign arm in a bind.—
Rachel Schilke,
The Washington Examiner,
9 Mar. 2026
-
That frustration of that false start was nothing compared to the bind that lay in store.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
João Klauss scored for the fourth time in his first three matches with the Galaxy to tie it 1-1 in the 56th minute.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Mar. 2026
-
The family also claims the university had prior knowledge of safety concerns tied to large events but failed to address them.—
Frederick Sutton Sinclair,
CBS News,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The incident resulted in a ticket for impeding traffic, for which she was ordered to pay $197 after pleading no contest in Orange County court on Monday.—
Cristóbal Reyes,
The Orlando Sentinel,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Since the proposal became public last month, parents and students have argued closures would impede students’ academic and social well-being, lead to longer school commutes and exacerbate the struggle to find child care.—
Molly Gibbs,
Mercury News,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The chain has more than 100 locations in California, including several in the Los Angeles area.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2026
-
To complement the sweet heat flavors of the new sandwich, the beloved chicken chain is also introducing a full line of four Strawberry Hibiscus flavored beverages.—
Kait Hanson,
Southern Living,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Maintain a safe distance from large vehicles - Trucks or buses can produce a water spray that hampers visibility.—
KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT,
Kansas City Star,
11 Mar. 2026
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When Cross-Goldenberg asked if the speedy trial violation that tanked the state case had to do with a reluctant witness, Reid said the case was hampered by a problem with the discovery process, since state prosecutors didn’t hand over material to the defense in a timely fashion.—
John Annese,
New York Daily News,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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California law restricts when local enforcement can coordinate with ICE in making such arrests, and federal officials and Republicans have assailed the policy for hindering immigration enforcement.—
Ethan Varian,
Mercury News,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Many Gulf desalination plants are physically integrated with power stations as co‑generation facilities, meaning attacks on electrical infrastructure could also hinder water production.—
Annika Hammerschlag,
Fortune,
8 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Their characters enjoyed a similar bond.—
Kathleen Perricone,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 Mar. 2026
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That uncertainty also impacted bond markets, with global bond yields continuing to rise.—
Sawdah Bhaimiya,Holly Ellyatt,Chloe Taylor,
CNBC,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
On many slave ships, women sometimes had more mobility than men because they were not always shackled below deck in the same way.—
Ed Gaskin,
Boston Herald,
8 Mar. 2026
-
During his appearance in federal court Friday afternoon, Kapoor’s wrists and ankles were shackled.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
6 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Handcuff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/handcuff. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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