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
Jeremy O. Harris, Vanity Fair, 1 Apr. 2026
That expanded reach sometimes ends in handcuffs.
—Stephen Johnson, Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026
R.j. Rico, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2026
The video sees one officer remove cash, a pair of AirPods, and pills from his pocket during the search before handcuffing him.
—Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for handcuff
Noun
The detective took me by the hand and placed handcuffs on my wrists once again.
—Jeremy O. Harris, Vanity Fair, 1 Apr. 2026
That expanded reach sometimes ends in handcuffs.
—Stephen Johnson, Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026
Verb
After handcuffing Woods, authorities searched his pockets and found two white pills.
—R.j. Rico, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2026
The video sees one officer remove cash, a pair of AirPods, and pills from his pocket during the search before handcuffing him.
—Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for handcuff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for handcuff
Noun
-
Faced with the request to make a Martini that was simultaneously very cold and bracingly strong, legendary bartender Salvatore Calabrese was in a bind.—
Jeremy Repanich,
Robb Report,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Which puts the Knicks in a bind.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Before the game, the Wizards were tied with the Indiana Pacers for the worst team in the league, but by the end of the night the bottom spot was theirs alone.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Trailing by three after a disastrous first period, the Sharks got goals from Nick Leddy and Macklin Celebrini in the second period, and a nifty third-period goal from Alex Wennberg to tie the game and bring the capacity crowd at SAP Center to life.—
Curtis Pashelka,
Mercury News,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The indictment includes the conspiracy count, which carries a maximum sentence of six years in federal prison, as well as several other counts of forcibly impeding a federal officer, each punishable by up to one year in federal prison.—
Jason Meisner,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Castle has become nearly impossible to impede.—
Fred Katz,
New York Times,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Set the scene The latest ultra-luxury hotel chain to land in Greece, and the newest milestone in the ritzy revival of the Athenian Riviera.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Through a red chain-link curtain is a back room containing the likes of Screw, Al Goldstein’s erotic tabloid from the sixties and seventies.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Sandboxing allows firms to focus solely on moving experiments swiftly through the pilot phase because the teams working on them are not hampered by juggling experimentation with their day-to-day.—
Francesca Cassidy,
Fortune,
7 Apr. 2026
-
His attempts at a comeback could still be hampered.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Others blame social media for hindering crew members from socializing—and carousing—together.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Awardees say the terminations hinder economic progress, not just in their communities but across the state.—
Nora Mabie,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The nurturing Moon moves through your 7th House of Cooperation, highlighting needs in close bonds.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
9 Apr. 2026
-
The four-year extension means that bond will run through the 2030 season.—
The Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Last week, before the court recessed for Easter, John briefly took the stand, legs and hands shackled and dressed in a khaki-colored prison uniform.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Many of the men were beheaded and women captured; Umar ibn Sa’d marched the spiked heads and shackled women through various towns on the way back to Caliph Yazid in Damascus to deter further protest.—
Mary Thurlkill,
The Conversation,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Handcuff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/handcuff. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.
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