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
Anthony Kuhn, NPR, 11 Sep. 2025
Human Rights First raised concerns about the conditions on board the planes, with many deportees held in handcuffs or shackles for the entire flight, which can stop off in multiple countries and last more than 30 hours.
—Dan Gooding, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025
Meanwhile, video posted by the Salvadoran government showed detainees stripped and having their heads shaved before being frog-marched in handcuffs and chains at their feet and waist into the prison.
—Nick Penzenstadler, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2025
The children’s punishments, authorities said, extended past handcuffs.
—Mike Stunson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Sep. 2025
Hernández took her grandchildren while the officers led her daughters away in handcuffs.
—Jonathan Blitzer, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
Wilson's dying body was pulled inside the home by the family and restrained with his own handcuffs.
—Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 6 Sep. 2025
The judge ordered the sheriff’s office to follow necessary procedures to ensure Adelson cannot self-harm before she was led away in handcuffs after the guilty verdict Thursday night.
—Lauren Del Valle, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 2025
Drummond appeared in court wearing handcuffs.
—Arkansas Online, 6 Sep. 2025
Omar Kelly
august 19, Miami Herald, 19 Aug. 2025
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
One was that the workers be transported from a detention facility to the Atlanta airport without handcuffs or other physical restraints.
—Anthony Kuhn, NPR, 11 Sep. 2025
Human Rights First raised concerns about the conditions on board the planes, with many deportees held in handcuffs or shackles for the entire flight, which can stop off in multiple countries and last more than 30 hours.
—Dan Gooding, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025
Meanwhile, video posted by the Salvadoran government showed detainees stripped and having their heads shaved before being frog-marched in handcuffs and chains at their feet and waist into the prison.
—Nick Penzenstadler, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2025
The children’s punishments, authorities said, extended past handcuffs.
—Mike Stunson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Sep. 2025
Hernández took her grandchildren while the officers led her daughters away in handcuffs.
—Jonathan Blitzer, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
Wilson's dying body was pulled inside the home by the family and restrained with his own handcuffs.
—Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 6 Sep. 2025
The judge ordered the sheriff’s office to follow necessary procedures to ensure Adelson cannot self-harm before she was led away in handcuffs after the guilty verdict Thursday night.
—Lauren Del Valle, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 2025
Drummond appeared in court wearing handcuffs.
—Arkansas Online, 6 Sep. 2025
Verb
But this unit is two plays — or better yet, two injuries — from being a disaster that handcuffs Miami’s offense, like last year’s unit did, after Grier laughed at the media for its concern about fragile state of the 2024 O-line.
—Omar Kelly
august 19, Miami Herald, 19 Aug. 2025
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
-
This is the bind policymakers now face.—
William Warr,
Time,
15 Sep. 2025
-
But beyond that, the Bruins could be in a bind offensively.—
Jonas Siegel,
New York Times,
13 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
What binds them together is their adherence to these six commitments.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
11 Sep. 2025
-
That unspoken bond is precious, and what binds a lot of community together.—
Daniel D'Addario,
Variety,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Maintain a safe distance from large vehicles - Trucks or buses can produce a water spray that hampers visibility.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Maintain a safe distance from large vehicles - Trucks or buses can produce a water spray that hampers visibility.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
This hinders the delivery of critical alerts and real-time actions.—
Michael De Nil,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
-
The Bonner hamstring injury further hinders this crew.—
Chris Perkins,
Sun Sentinel,
21 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
With masses equivalent to millions or even billions of suns, supermassive black holes are too massive to have been born from dying stars; instead, it is theorized that they are created when smaller black holes collide and merge, and a chain of progressively larger and larger mergers.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
12 Sep. 2025
-
The investment group also includes the Cherng Family Trust, the family office of the co-founders of the Panda Express restaurant chain, according to Friday’s statement.—
Eben Novy-Williams,
Sportico.com,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The Regenerative Imperative What ties these threads together is a vision of technology as a regenerative force; systems that heal rather than harm, that strengthen rather than extract, that enhance human capabilities rather than replace them.—
Cornelia C. Walther,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
-
The package ties future awards to ambitious market value and performance milestones.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The university has also cracked down on chalking on campus sidewalks, which critics say impedes the free speech rights of students.—
Chris Quintana,
USA Today,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Let go of whatever impedes your growth.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
But the bond of family and a home filled with foreign languages and love prepared him for a life that would require adaptability, grit and vision.—
Janee Bolden,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Sep. 2025
-
This follows a $2 billion bond issuance back in March.—
Dylan Butts,
CNBC,
17 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Handcuffs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/handcuffs. Accessed 19 Sep. 2025.
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