as in bind
something that physically prevents free movement
the man reluctantly held out his wrists so the policeman could snap on handcuffs
Synonyms & Similar Words
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1
as in binds
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 hampers
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 handcuffs
Kristina Rex, CBS News, 17 Apr. 2026
By the end of the school day, the little girl’s stepmother was in handcuffs.
—Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 16 Apr. 2026
After federal agents put her in handcuffs, Batra spent the next 24 hours moving between holding cells without food or water, the Texas Observer reported.
—Brooke Migdon, PEOPLE, 16 Apr. 2026
Recently, the Executive Office of Health and Human Services issued an order that Tewksbury Hospital security officers will no longer carry or use non-lethal and defensive tactical equipment like pepper gel, batons and handcuffs to subdue violent and combative patients.
—Rick Pozniak, Boston Herald, 14 Apr. 2026
With cameras rolling, Orellana, his parents and brothers were led out in handcuffs as agents searched their home.
—A.c. Thompson, ProPublica, 14 Apr. 2026
Body-camera footage shows him being placed in handcuffs, while agents searched his FedEx truck for some sign of Athena.
—Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Apr. 2026
Woods participated in four exercises before a deputy placed him in handcuffs.
—Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 8 Apr. 2026
Moore’s wife came over to the scene as he was placed in handcuffs, court records state.
—Michelle L. Quinn, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2026
Jesse Zanger, CBS News, 20 Mar. 2026
Placing the franchise tag on tight end Kyle Pitts severely handcuffs what the Falcons can do this offseason.
—Omar Kelly
march 8, Miami Herald, 8 Mar. 2026
While state law seemingly handcuffs local officials into approving solar projects, Richmond said residents and board members need to work together to fight solar power plants.
—Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 22 Feb. 2026
At the crash site, some of the rescuers find Morrow, who holds them at gunpoint and handcuffs them together in the lab.
—Dave Nemetz, TVLine, 12 Aug. 2025
Noun
The hospital's public safety officers were trained to use pepper gel, batons, and handcuffs.
—Kristina Rex, CBS News, 17 Apr. 2026
By the end of the school day, the little girl’s stepmother was in handcuffs.
—Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 16 Apr. 2026
After federal agents put her in handcuffs, Batra spent the next 24 hours moving between holding cells without food or water, the Texas Observer reported.
—Brooke Migdon, PEOPLE, 16 Apr. 2026
Recently, the Executive Office of Health and Human Services issued an order that Tewksbury Hospital security officers will no longer carry or use non-lethal and defensive tactical equipment like pepper gel, batons and handcuffs to subdue violent and combative patients.
—Rick Pozniak, Boston Herald, 14 Apr. 2026
With cameras rolling, Orellana, his parents and brothers were led out in handcuffs as agents searched their home.
—A.c. Thompson, ProPublica, 14 Apr. 2026
Body-camera footage shows him being placed in handcuffs, while agents searched his FedEx truck for some sign of Athena.
—Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Apr. 2026
Woods participated in four exercises before a deputy placed him in handcuffs.
—Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 8 Apr. 2026
Moore’s wife came over to the scene as he was placed in handcuffs, court records state.
—Michelle L. Quinn, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2026
Verb
The officer again tells Timberlake to turn around and handcuffs him.
—Jesse Zanger, CBS News, 20 Mar. 2026
Placing the franchise tag on tight end Kyle Pitts severely handcuffs what the Falcons can do this offseason.
—Omar Kelly
march 8, Miami Herald, 8 Mar. 2026
While state law seemingly handcuffs local officials into approving solar projects, Richmond said residents and board members need to work together to fight solar power plants.
—Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 22 Feb. 2026
At the crash site, some of the rescuers find Morrow, who holds them at gunpoint and handcuffs them together in the lab.
—Dave Nemetz, TVLine, 12 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for handcuffs
Noun
-
Republicans have put themselves in a bind.—
Stephanie Armour,
CBS News,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Now Hilton is in a bit of a bind.—
Joe Garofoli,
San Francisco Chronicle,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Chamomile tea contains apigenin, which binds to GABA receptors producing a mild sedative effect.—
Allison Palmer,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
15 Apr. 2026
-
To crystallize the volatile — even violent — energy that binds artistic connections across space and time.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
That burden, along with the conventions of the true-crime genre, not to mention that of theater in service of a political point, sometimes hampers the interpretive space of the actors and the creative team, who have to spend a lot of their time getting the facts and the history across.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Apr. 2026
-
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,
12 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
To address this, Ivo uses a multi-step pipeline that chains together more than 400 model calls for each contract review.—
Charlie Fink,
Forbes.com,
20 Jan. 2026
-
Tokyo Central is owned by Japanese company Pan Pacific Retail Management, which also runs the grocery chains Gelson’s and Don Quijote.—
John Metcalfe,
Mercury News,
3 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
In San Francisco, the city is modernizing its systems to ensure that, in the event of a disaster, nothing hinders the ability to communicate, coordinate, and respond.—
Max Darrow,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Exercise also reduces chronic inflammation in the brain, which hinders its ability to repair itself, Oye-Somefun said.—
Kaitlin Sullivan,
NBC news,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The remote chain of more than 60 islands off the tip of India, south of the Maldives, has been under British control since 1814.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Some tribes, including the Choctaw Nation in Oklahoma and Oneida Indian Nation in New York, have their own store chains.—
Mead Gruver,
Fortune,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
House Enrolled Act 1002 also ties utility profits to performance metrics, including affordability and service restoration, and utilities will use a three-year rate plan.—
Maya Wilkins,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Apr. 2026
-
The finishing touch is Zab’s Ranch, which ties the dish together with a sweet heat that lingers just long enough to keep each bite interesting.—
Jessica Safavimehr,
Southern Living,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Let go of whatever impedes your growth.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
28 Mar. 2026
-
The weir prohibits the flow of saltwater into the lagoon and impedes the draining of sediment from the lagoon into the ocean.—
Phil Diehl,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Handcuffs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/handcuffs. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
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