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
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Recent Examples of handcuffs
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
26 June 2026
The suspect was then placed in handcuffs and taken into custody.
—
Liam Quinn,
PEOPLE,
26 June 2026
In fact, success can create its own handcuffs because identity becomes so closely tied to position and titles.
—
Jann E. Freed,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2026
Another vintage bit, which MTV also declined to air, involves Knoxville, dressed in an orange prison jumpsuit and shackled in handcuffs, entering a hardware store and asking for a hacksaw.
—
Frank Scheck,
HollywoodReporter,
25 June 2026
Cameras were not allowed after the defendants' attorneys argued the public seeing them in jail clothes and handcuffs would harm their defense.
—
Alexa Herrera,
CBS News,
23 June 2026
The Supreme Court, if municipal court people in New Jersey did what Supreme Court members do — are doing now, they would be led out in handcuffs.
—
NBC news,
21 June 2026
The man in brown pants is later seen in handcuffs and being led away while screaming at someone.
—
Ruben Vives,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
Padilla attended and stepped forward to ask a question of Noem before being physically removed from the room and placed in handcuffs.
—
Evelyn Ronan,
Sacbee.com,
16 June 2026
Emilia Otte,
Hartford Courant,
13 June 2026
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
Noun
Once outside, paramedics determined that Martin had stopped breathing, removed his handcuffs and began CPR.
—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
26 June 2026
The suspect was then placed in handcuffs and taken into custody.
—
Liam Quinn,
PEOPLE,
26 June 2026
In fact, success can create its own handcuffs because identity becomes so closely tied to position and titles.
—
Jann E. Freed,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2026
Another vintage bit, which MTV also declined to air, involves Knoxville, dressed in an orange prison jumpsuit and shackled in handcuffs, entering a hardware store and asking for a hacksaw.
—
Frank Scheck,
HollywoodReporter,
25 June 2026
Cameras were not allowed after the defendants' attorneys argued the public seeing them in jail clothes and handcuffs would harm their defense.
—
Alexa Herrera,
CBS News,
23 June 2026
The Supreme Court, if municipal court people in New Jersey did what Supreme Court members do — are doing now, they would be led out in handcuffs.
—
NBC news,
21 June 2026
The man in brown pants is later seen in handcuffs and being led away while screaming at someone.
—
Ruben Vives,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
Padilla attended and stepped forward to ask a question of Noem before being physically removed from the room and placed in handcuffs.
—
Evelyn Ronan,
Sacbee.com,
16 June 2026
Verb
For example, Stevens said, a department could create a policy that if an officer chases down and handcuffs a suspect — an inherently tense situation — a different officer would be responsible for transporting and booking the suspect, eliminating further contact with the first officer.
—
Emilia Otte,
Hartford Courant,
13 June 2026
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
-
Each of those cases put the council in a bind.
-
But facing an already high rate of inflation, the Fed is in a bind, said Cutsinger of FAU.
Verb
-
Phytic acid binds directly to HDAC3 and turns on its activity.
-
There's so much that binds us and connects us.
Verb
-
Maintain a safe distance from large vehicles - Trucks or buses can produce a water spray that hampers visibility.
-
Maintain a safe distance from large vehicles - Trucks or buses can produce a water spray that hampers visibility.
Noun
-
The chain retailer also has locations at Arden Fair and Westfield Galleria at Roseville.
-
The Viva Wyndham Dominicus Palace, part of the same chain, did not sustain any damage.
Verb
-
To address this, Ivo uses a multi-step pipeline that chains together more than 400 model calls for each contract review.
-
Tokyo Central is owned by Japanese company Pan Pacific Retail Management, which also runs the grocery chains Gelson’s and Don Quijote.
Verb
-
This is due, in large part, to expectations of a strong El Niño, which traditionally hinders storm development.
-
Our systems are overly complex, spanning hundreds of dependencies, which hinders our ability to move fast.
Noun
-
Prescott-Hansen posted a $50,000 bond and was released without conditions.
-
And when a bond is dumped, its yield — or the interest the government must pay new investors in those same bonds — rises.
Verb
-
And yet, in spite of its Clark and Dearborn gambit and an hourlong finale that ties far too many bows on top of bows, Season 5 works because its artistic machinations are rooted in character over plot, and the characters are what matters.
-
Athletes who specialize early are also at elevated risk for depression, anxiety, and the kind of perfectionism that ties self-worth directly to competitive outcomes.
Cite this Entry
“Handcuffs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/handcuffs. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.
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