as in helpless
unable to act or achieve one's purpose
handcuffed by a dearth of funding, the preservation society can do little but stand by as these historic structures deteriorate
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in bound
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 hampered
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 handcuffed
Sam Mednick, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026
Victims were sometimes found handcuffed or bound.
—ABC News, 12 May 2026
He was handcuffed, barely conscious and pleading for help.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 11 May 2026
After the officers handcuffed him, the man told them what was going on.
—Kristina Rex, CBS News, 8 May 2026
In May 2025, ICE agents stormed a South Park restaurant, threw the owner against the wall, handcuffed every employee and deployed flash bangs on concerned neighbors outside — all to arrest four undocumented kitchen workers.
—Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2026
The chase ended when a passerby stopped the suspect and McLaughlin handcuffed her.
—Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 1 May 2026
Two days after the alleged assassin, believed to be a left-wing activist, was handcuffed at the annual White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, the Wall Street Journal created a graph visualizing the CSIS study’s findings.
—Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 1 May 2026
After being handcuffed and taken to the juvenile detention center, another copy of the fake ID was located in Lindsey’s wallet.
—Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 1 May 2026
Verb
Victims were sometimes found handcuffed or bound.
—Sam Mednick, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026
Victims were sometimes found handcuffed or bound.
—ABC News, 12 May 2026
He was handcuffed, barely conscious and pleading for help.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 11 May 2026
After the officers handcuffed him, the man told them what was going on.
—Kristina Rex, CBS News, 8 May 2026
In May 2025, ICE agents stormed a South Park restaurant, threw the owner against the wall, handcuffed every employee and deployed flash bangs on concerned neighbors outside — all to arrest four undocumented kitchen workers.
—Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2026
The chase ended when a passerby stopped the suspect and McLaughlin handcuffed her.
—Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 1 May 2026
Two days after the alleged assassin, believed to be a left-wing activist, was handcuffed at the annual White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, the Wall Street Journal created a graph visualizing the CSIS study’s findings.
—Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 1 May 2026
After being handcuffed and taken to the juvenile detention center, another copy of the fake ID was located in Lindsey’s wallet.
—Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 1 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for handcuffed
Adjective
-
By contrast, the publication of his translation of Kafka in Italian in the spring of 1983 left him feeling empty, helpless, defenseless.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 May 2026
-
All the sweeping expansiveness snaps shut with a sudden health crisis for Kristen, its onset signaled with masterful concision in a middle-of-the-night calamity that leaves her helpless.—
Sheri Linden,
HollywoodReporter,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
The commission's website says the Sargasso Sea is a 2 million square mile open ocean ecosystem, bounded by the circulating currents of the North Atlantic Gyre, one of five sea gyres which are geographic rotating currents.—
Sarah Perkel,
USA Today,
4 May 2026
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Its southern limit is largely bounded by Golden Triangle Boulevard east of Interstate 35W and Big Fossil Creek west of the interstate.—
Harrison Mantas,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
3 May 2026
Verb
-
But most summit speakers treated circularity—a nebulous concept at the best of times—largely as an engineering challenge, one hampered by immature infrastructure, policy gaps and weak economics.—
Jasmin Malik Chua,
Footwear News,
15 May 2026
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The company is seeking to create a Duchenne gene therapy that is more effective and safer than Sarepta Therapeutics’ Elevidys, which has been hampered by safety concerns, particularly following the deaths of two recipients from liver failure.—
Jason Mast,
STAT,
14 May 2026
Adjective
-
Her mother-in-law stopped eating and later became paralyzed.—
Efrat Lachter,
FOXNews.com,
10 May 2026
-
Each cell is stocked with paralyzed tree crickets, katydids and other orthoptera insects.—
Pamm Cooper,
Hartford Courant,
9 May 2026
Verb
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The investigation comes as global health officials continue monitoring a rare hantavirus outbreak tied to the MV Hondius luxury cruise ship that has sickened multiple passengers and crew members and left three people dead.—
Brittany Miller,
FOXNews.com,
16 May 2026
-
The system is designed to help technicians quickly identify faults by reviewing operational logs and maintenance histories tied to a robot’s ID.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
15 May 2026
Verb
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During the next three weeks, mobile internet was impeded or shut off in the center of Moscow.—
Joshua Yaffa,
New Yorker,
8 May 2026
-
Two off-the-field issues also impeded Gonzalez’s progress as a player.—
Steve Reaven,
Chicago Tribune,
8 May 2026
Adjective
-
Free agency is weak, so the best bet will be the trade market.—
Michael Russo,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
-
The original vision of the Accords – of a rapidly expanding regional bloc openly aligned with Israel and integrated economically across the Middle East – has become a significantly weaker prospect.—
Chas Newkey-Burden,
TheWeek,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
Soon the refugee was shackled in the snow, hand bleeding, face bruised.—
Dan Barry,
New York Times,
12 May 2026
-
Good meaning one where the writer is not shackled to Hollywood tropes.—
Clare Mulroy,
USA Today,
12 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Handcuffed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/handcuffed. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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