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
Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 17 Mar. 2026
After being handcuffed, Solomon allegedly spat on a Dallas police officer while being placed in a patrol car.
—Doug Myers, CBS News, 14 Mar. 2026
Lilly, who was handcuffed and taken into custody, requested that her purse be brought with her to the detention facility in North Charleston.
—Assistant Editor, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2026
People were handcuffed outside of a feed store, on the side of I-70 and inside an apartment.
—Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 12 Mar. 2026
The video shows a security guard holding back a male security guard who is moving toward a young man who throws his backpack on the ground, and appears ready to fight as the woman is being handcuffed.
—Charlotte Observer, 12 Mar. 2026
There’s some gunfire, and both of them had to duck and hit the dirt while they’re handcuffed.
—Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 12 Mar. 2026
The blue Ford quickly comes to a full stop and Martinez is pulled from the vehicle and handcuffed by multiple officers.
—Arkansas Online, 8 Mar. 2026
After Mitchell’s arrest, the sheriff’s department released a photo of him, handcuffed, his face still blackened.
—USA Today, 8 Mar. 2026
Verb
One officer says Martin, who remains handcuffed on the floor, seems to be tired, as Martin at times appears to snore.
—Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 17 Mar. 2026
After being handcuffed, Solomon allegedly spat on a Dallas police officer while being placed in a patrol car.
—Doug Myers, CBS News, 14 Mar. 2026
Lilly, who was handcuffed and taken into custody, requested that her purse be brought with her to the detention facility in North Charleston.
—Assistant Editor, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2026
People were handcuffed outside of a feed store, on the side of I-70 and inside an apartment.
—Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 12 Mar. 2026
The video shows a security guard holding back a male security guard who is moving toward a young man who throws his backpack on the ground, and appears ready to fight as the woman is being handcuffed.
—Charlotte Observer, 12 Mar. 2026
There’s some gunfire, and both of them had to duck and hit the dirt while they’re handcuffed.
—Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 12 Mar. 2026
The blue Ford quickly comes to a full stop and Martinez is pulled from the vehicle and handcuffed by multiple officers.
—Arkansas Online, 8 Mar. 2026
After Mitchell’s arrest, the sheriff’s department released a photo of him, handcuffed, his face still blackened.
—USA Today, 8 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for handcuffed
Adjective
-
That gave the last four minutes of the third quarter and the 36-27 fourth quarter a bit of a helpless feeling.—
Jon Krawczynski,
New York Times,
16 Mar. 2026
-
In the meantime, Jones was stranded on an island of his own making Saturday, exasperated by another difficult game-winning shot that his wingspan was somehow helpless to affect on its own.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Living in a continent-sized nation bounded by two vast oceans allows for that dangerous self-deception.—
Chuck DeVore,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Mar. 2026
-
Noah’s technical ability on snare drum is leaps and bounds ahead of other students his age, and his consistently excellent drumming anchors our drumline’s sound.—
Heide Janssen,
Oc Register,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Crew searched by air and by water for people who had been stranded — efforts that were hampered by people flying personal drones to get images of the flooding, said Ian Scheuring, a spokesperson for Honolulu.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
21 Mar. 2026
-
Ruggieri notes that exports are being hampered by financing issues, high logistics costs and a lack of competitiveness resulting from external tariffs.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
These thermal baths in Palm Springs, stewarded by the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians for more than five millennia and long considered a portal to the spiritual underworld and a place of healing, welcomed my paralyzed body.—
Sophie Morgan,
Condé Nast Traveler,
15 Mar. 2026
-
Salvador Murillo pleaded guilty to two counts of assault by a peace officer for shooting an unarmed man in the back in 2020, leaving him paralyzed.—
James Queally,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Straws were made of bamboo or bamboo fiber, water is only in glass bottles, and even the disposable underwear in the spa was tied cutely in a cloth in the style of eco-conscious furoshiki fabric-wrapping art.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
21 Mar. 2026
-
Ayo Dosunmu added 17 points and tied a career high with 10 rebounds.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
21 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The Iran war has further impeded the flow of weapons, said the officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to talj to the media.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 Mar. 2026
-
Since the conflict began, Iran has impeded flow through the Strait of Hormuz.—
NBC news,
NBC news,
15 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
What can’t be easily seen or measured but can impact recovery as much as a weak muscle or stiff joint are the psychological aspects.—
Ian McMahan,
New York Times,
21 Mar. 2026
-
After the worst of it, a similar but weaker storm was forecast to bring more rain through this weekend.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
21 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Lindsay staggered around, shackled by heroin.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
16 Mar. 2026
-
For the nest two years, images of a child shackled and handcuffed in an orange jail jumpsuit and media coverage chronicled the case.—
Scott Butler,
Florida Times-Union,
13 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Handcuffed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/handcuffed. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.
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