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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of handcuffed
Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 3 Sep. 2025
Early the next morning, officers brought him back to the home, handcuffed, CNN affiliate KTRK reported.
—Danya Gainor, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2025
Estelle said individuals were handcuffed but released once the fights calmed down.
—Addison Wright, Chicago Tribune, 2 Sep. 2025
Achane was the primary running back last season, but he was still handcuffed by Raheem Mostert, who signed with the Las Vegas Raiders in March.
—Drew Vonscio, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Sep. 2025
Seeing the girl handcuffed by a Marion County sheriff's deputy a few blocks from her home simply didn't compute.
—Jade Jackson, IndyStar, 30 Aug. 2025
Flores videotaped the arrest of his wife, who was heard screaming while agents handcuffed her behind her back while on her knees.
—Julia Prodis Sulek, Mercury News, 30 Aug. 2025
In 2020, state security officers strip-searched and handcuffed Jiménez Enoa, interrogated him for five hours, and threatened him and his family over his writings about life in Cuba in his monthly Washington Post column.
—Literary Hub, 28 Aug. 2025
The video shows him being handcuffed and led away by Secret Service personnel.
—Brieanna J. Frank, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2025
Verb
Safety does not mean being handcuffed and detained by federal agents in front of a high school for no apparent reason, which is what recently happened to a fifteen-year-old boy with disabilities in Los Angeles.
—Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 3 Sep. 2025
Early the next morning, officers brought him back to the home, handcuffed, CNN affiliate KTRK reported.
—Danya Gainor, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2025
Estelle said individuals were handcuffed but released once the fights calmed down.
—Addison Wright, Chicago Tribune, 2 Sep. 2025
Achane was the primary running back last season, but he was still handcuffed by Raheem Mostert, who signed with the Las Vegas Raiders in March.
—Drew Vonscio, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Sep. 2025
Seeing the girl handcuffed by a Marion County sheriff's deputy a few blocks from her home simply didn't compute.
—Jade Jackson, IndyStar, 30 Aug. 2025
Flores videotaped the arrest of his wife, who was heard screaming while agents handcuffed her behind her back while on her knees.
—Julia Prodis Sulek, Mercury News, 30 Aug. 2025
In 2020, state security officers strip-searched and handcuffed Jiménez Enoa, interrogated him for five hours, and threatened him and his family over his writings about life in Cuba in his monthly Washington Post column.
—Literary Hub, 28 Aug. 2025
The video shows him being handcuffed and led away by Secret Service personnel.
—Brieanna J. Frank, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for handcuffed
Adjective
-
This burden of additional responsibilities and emotional labor with less resources lead many women to feel helpless, leaving divorce as the only escape.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
6 Sep. 2025
-
The sunbathers of sleepy Amity Bay are helpless against the unexpected great white shark that hunts their coasts; Spielberg’s talent for suspense, effective horror shocks, and ingenious reinvention of the classic animal-attack movie remain as impressive as ever.—
Christina Newland,
Vulture,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
With technology growing by leaps and bounds every day, more and more tasks can be automated.—
Adam Coffey,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Clairemont is bounded by Interstate 5 and Pacific Beach to the west, state Route 52 and University City to the north, Linda Vista to the south and Kearny Mesa to the east.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Talking to Bill Nighy about his star turn as a frail and at times broken novelist in & Sons is rather hampered by the British actor not having seen director Pablo Trapero’s father-and-son drama on a screen of any size ahead of its world premiere on Sunday at the Toronto Film Festival.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Sep. 2025
-
Currently, only 37% of the more than 5 million tons of trash generated in the county each year is recycled — and even that is hampered by a 40% contamination rate.—
Ashley Miznazi,
Miami Herald,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Feeling paralyzed in your job search?—
Maria Gracia Santillana Linares,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
-
Her son was left paralyzed from the mid-chest down, had to have his left leg amputated at the knee and two thirds of his bowel removed — and almost a month later, is still in the hospital, where he is intubated and fighting an infection.—
Janelle Griffith,
PEOPLE,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The team behind the research noted that many of these genes are tied to developmental delay, which may have played a role in the slower pace of postnatal brain growth in humans compared to chimpanzees.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Sep. 2025
-
In this 2024 summer blockbuster, Miami's favorite bantering detectives go on a high-stakes mission to clear their late captain's name after he's wrongfully tied to a drug conspiracy.—
Emy LaCroix,
PEOPLE,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Additionally, debris removal took place, including significant debris that impeded roadways and public spaces, and damage occurred to water control facilities, utilities and parks and recreation facilities.—
Cathy Kozlowicz,
jsonline.com,
28 Aug. 2025
-
The rare move highlighted the administration's combative stance toward jurists who impeded its immigration policies.—
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The Royals made a lot of weak contact, which resulted in a mix of groundouts.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
9 Sep. 2025
-
Last week, a weaker-than-expected jobs report added to expectations of an imminent rate cut by the central bank.—
Chloe Taylor,
CNBC,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
In one scene, Sweet Tooth is shackled and dragged behind a taxi en route to the Eastern Sovereignty, ruled by Pope Charlie Kane.—
JP Mangalindan,
Time,
28 Aug. 2025
-
The lawsuit accused officers of violently pulling Gibson, who was shackled, out of the back of a police vehicle and throwing him to the asphalt.—
Christina Hall,
Freep.com,
14 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Handcuffed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/handcuffed. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share