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
Relevance
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for handcuffs
Noun
-
This is why American and European manufacturers found themselves in a bind this June.—
HENRY FARRELL,
Foreign Affairs,
19 Aug. 2025 -
But clearing out everything the administration finds controversial could raise other alarms, leaving foreign students in a bind.—
Julia Shapero,
The Hill,
24 July 2025
Verb
-
This medication binds to and removes excess iron or copper from the body, helping prevent further liver damage in conditions like hemochromatosis and Wilson disease.—
Lindsay Curtis,
Health,
8 Apr. 2025
-
Now the new study, led by UNM professor Brent Wagner, MD, has found a connection between gadolinium and oxalic acid, a molecule found in foods which binds with metal ions, leading to medical issues such as kidney stones.—
John W. Dean,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Those items included a rose gold and diamond bracelet worth $15,000, a rose gold and diamond chain worth $50,000, a Rolex Presidential 40mm watch worth $45,000, a Rolex Datejust watch worth $23,000, and a gold and diamond tennis chain worth $30,000.—
Rick Sobey,
Boston Herald,
13 Aug. 2025
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Kroger, the largest grocery chain in the US, has over thirty-five petabytes of customer data.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Let go of whatever impedes your progress and growth.—
Georgia Nicols,
The Denver Post,
2 Mar. 2025
-
However, any individual who impedes law enforcement operations, potentially threatening the safety of law enforcement agents and subjects of their investigations, is subject to investigation and potential prosecution by the Department of Justice.—
Matt Robison,
Newsweek,
25 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Nathan Davin was jailed on a $750,000 bond, officials said.—
Mike Stunson,
Kansas City Star,
20 Aug. 2025
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As part of its 2023 bond projects, the district converted Sedgefield Elementary into a pre-K through sixth grade Montessori campus, where students will begin attending Monday.—
Rebecca Noel,
Charlotte Observer,
20 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The passenger hit their head on a concrete curb, police said.—
Kendrick Calfee,
Kansas City Star,
20 Aug. 2025
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Indian media reported on Wednesday that China agreed to lift curbs on exports on fertilizers, rare earths and tunnel boring machines.—
Lim Hui Jie,
CNBC,
20 Aug. 2025
Noun
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By demanding open standards, embracing open-source and choosing partners committed to a collaborative future, organizations can finally break free from the shackles of vendor control and build an IT ecosystem that truly serves their strategic ambitions.—
Rajat Bhargava,
Forbes.com,
21 July 2025
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This was always going to be an important summer for the Minnesota Wild, with their superstar eligible for a long-term extension and the shackles of the Zach Parise-Ryan Suter buyouts finally off.—
Michael Russo,
New York Times,
31 July 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Handcuffs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/handcuffs. Accessed 27 Aug. 2025.
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