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
Relevance
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
Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 3 June 2026
Continue reading … DALE WILCOX — Maryland sheriffs should not be handcuffed by reckless sanctuary politics.
—FOXNews.com, 3 June 2026
The video appeared to show Hyder pulling Moore down to the ground and punching her before a second officer pulled Moore away and handcuffed her.
—Charlotte Observer, 2 June 2026
Deputy Rodriguez handcuffed her.
—Clare Amari, New York Times, 27 May 2026
At one point during the first meeting, Zempel handcuffed the girl, according to the complaint.
—Nick Lentz, CBS News, 19 May 2026
The enforcer handcuffed me and shoved me into the same car, again forcing my head between my knees.
—Abraham Jiménez Enoa, The Dial, 19 May 2026
She was handcuffed in her wedding dress and transported to a prison cell by an officer.
—Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 15 May 2026
When their convoy is brutally ambushed, they are left handcuffed together and, on the run, forcing her to put her life in his hands.
—Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 14 May 2026
Verb
The death of a White student who was handcuffed by police after he had been stabbed is provoking a national outcry in Britain, with officers under fire for their conduct and far-right leaders accused of using the teen’s murder to stoke racist violence for political gain.
—Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 3 June 2026
Continue reading … DALE WILCOX — Maryland sheriffs should not be handcuffed by reckless sanctuary politics.
—FOXNews.com, 3 June 2026
The video appeared to show Hyder pulling Moore down to the ground and punching her before a second officer pulled Moore away and handcuffed her.
—Charlotte Observer, 2 June 2026
Deputy Rodriguez handcuffed her.
—Clare Amari, New York Times, 27 May 2026
At one point during the first meeting, Zempel handcuffed the girl, according to the complaint.
—Nick Lentz, CBS News, 19 May 2026
The enforcer handcuffed me and shoved me into the same car, again forcing my head between my knees.
—Abraham Jiménez Enoa, The Dial, 19 May 2026
She was handcuffed in her wedding dress and transported to a prison cell by an officer.
—Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 15 May 2026
When their convoy is brutally ambushed, they are left handcuffed together and, on the run, forcing her to put her life in his hands.
—Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 14 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for handcuffed
Adjective
-
Marine Rousseau, 41, was taken into custody Thursday with Marc Ballabriga, 55, two days after the couple allegedly dumped her helpless 3- and 5-year-old children in a remote forest and left, according to Portuguese and French media.—
Louis Casiano,
FOXNews.com,
26 May 2026
-
No electricity, ventilators In the ICU, nurse Tammy Fritchey feels helpless.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
22 May 2026
Verb
-
With the Rockies holding a 7-0 lead, Rumfield sent a drive to deep right-center, where the ball grazed the outside of Adell's glove before hitting his head and bounding over the wall.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
3 June 2026
-
With the Rockies holding a 7-0 lead, Rumfield sent a drive to deep right-center, where the ball grazed the outside of Adell's glove before hitting his head and bounding over the wall.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
But like Hulst, he was also hampered by injuries.—
Scott M. Reid,
Oc Register,
30 May 2026
-
Clark is finally at full strength again after, hampered by a groin injury, played in only 13 games a year ago.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
29 May 2026
Adjective
-
Three All Saints Episcopal School students lured a fourth student to participate in a TikTok challenge this month that became a catastrophic assault, leaving the boy unconscious for several minutes, temporarily paralyzed and with fractured vertebrae, according to a lawsuit filed this week.—
Emerson Clarridge,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
29 May 2026
-
Samuelson has been left paralyzed from the chest down due to the bullet lodged in his spine.—
Todd Feurer,
CBS News,
27 May 2026
Verb
-
Defending state high jump champion JJ Harel of Sherman Oaks Notre Dame tied nine others for the second-best mark (6-6) heading into the second day.—
Steve Galluzzo,
Los Angeles Times,
30 May 2026
-
Cameron Brink tied her season high with 16 points (14 in the first half), and Dearica Hamby added 14 points, nine rebounds, seven assists and four steals as the Sparks won for the fourth time in their past five games.—
Daily News,
Daily News,
30 May 2026
Verb
-
Aid workers have also told CNN that the dismantling of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and US funding cuts carried out prior to the outbreak have impeded the response.—
Erikas Mwisi,
CNN Money,
24 May 2026
-
In a twist that feels somewhere between Misery and Triangle of Sadness, it's revealed that Linda has not only hidden the true nature of the island from Bradley, but has intentionally impeded them from getting help.—
Brianna Zigler,
Entertainment Weekly,
21 May 2026
Adjective
-
As the story goes, attendance was weak, the weather was bad, and the tournament experience was just lacking.—
James Burky,
Denver Post,
29 May 2026
-
As many as 40 states combine one-party control with institutional barriers weak enough to fall to political pressure.—
Bruce Sibley,
Time,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
Written by Evan Cooper, the film finds five convicts trying to escape through the mountains following a violent train robbery, while shackled together by foot.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
26 May 2026
-
Once in Israeli custody, detainees describe being beaten, tasered, strip-searched and attacked by dogs while held in shipboard containers, often blindfolded, shackled and denied timely access to lawyers or consular officials.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
22 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Handcuffed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/handcuffed. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
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