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
Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 6 Apr. 2026
Erin Marie Cowser alleged in a lawsuit filed Friday that a police officer body-slammed her face-first to the ground while she was handcuffed during a May 2025 incident.
—Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2026
At the end, he was asked to put his hands behind his back and was handcuffed.
—Minyvonne Burke, NBC news, 2 Apr. 2026
He was eventually handcuffed and taken to the Martin County Jail.
—Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 2 Apr. 2026
Authorities on Tuesday reportedly apprehended the Michigan woman who went viral after wriggling her way through a police cruiser window while still handcuffed in a daring getaway, according to local outlets.
—Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 31 Mar. 2026
While Curry was handcuffed and helplessly lying on the ground, Dickerson punched him multiple times while Billups-Taylor kicked him, according to the court document.
—Deborah Laverty, Chicago Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026
One of the people on the flight said they were handcuffed until after crossing the border.
—Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 27 Mar. 2026
In November, two days before Thanksgiving, Florida Highway Patrol officers took Olga from her family’s landscaping service truck and handcuffed her in front of her children.
—Tim Padgett, Sun Sentinel, 27 Mar. 2026
Verb
Video from the scene showed several people being handcuffed outside a home in the area.
—Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 6 Apr. 2026
Erin Marie Cowser alleged in a lawsuit filed Friday that a police officer body-slammed her face-first to the ground while she was handcuffed during a May 2025 incident.
—Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2026
At the end, he was asked to put his hands behind his back and was handcuffed.
—Minyvonne Burke, NBC news, 2 Apr. 2026
He was eventually handcuffed and taken to the Martin County Jail.
—Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 2 Apr. 2026
Authorities on Tuesday reportedly apprehended the Michigan woman who went viral after wriggling her way through a police cruiser window while still handcuffed in a daring getaway, according to local outlets.
—Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 31 Mar. 2026
While Curry was handcuffed and helplessly lying on the ground, Dickerson punched him multiple times while Billups-Taylor kicked him, according to the court document.
—Deborah Laverty, Chicago Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026
One of the people on the flight said they were handcuffed until after crossing the border.
—Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 27 Mar. 2026
In November, two days before Thanksgiving, Florida Highway Patrol officers took Olga from her family’s landscaping service truck and handcuffed her in front of her children.
—Tim Padgett, Sun Sentinel, 27 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for handcuffed
Adjective
-
The show’s name referred to their self-identification as helpless babies overwhelmed by the pressures of modernity, comforted only by coating themselves in fancy serums and moisturizers to recreate the peaceful, placental insulation of the womb.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Then there’s the title character, who at first impression could be a helpless goldfish just waiting for any one of these alley cats to knock over her bowl and swallow her tail and all.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The area is bounded by the Interstate 485/Providence Road interchange and extends south to the South Carolina state line.—
Chase Jordan
April 7,
Charlotte Observer,
7 Apr. 2026
-
David Duran blasted a shot from 25 yards out that hit the crossbar and bounded back in play where Jared Contreras headed it over to Garza who headed it into the net.—
Darren Lauber,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Vertical living green walls comprised of live plants are a natural energy-saving method for improving indoor air quality and enhancing interior design, but they're hampered by inconsistent performance.—
Shirl Leigh
April 03,
New Atlas,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Even if companies wanted to spend irresponsible amounts of money on AI compute, they’ve been hampered by supply chain constraints.—
Reed Albergotti,
semafor.com,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Carey died while trying to rescue a paralyzed elderly man from a house fire.—
Evy Lewis,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
-
China’s leadership has appeared even more paralyzed over the country’s mounting economic woes.—
Michael Schuman,
The Atlantic,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Much of the government’s secrecy around UFOs and UAP is tied to national security concerns, according to Diamond.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 Apr. 2026
-
The Kings had the worst record in the NBA as recently as March 9, but after winning seven of their last 14 games they are now tied with the Utah Jazz for the fifth-worst record in the league.—
Jason Anderson,
Sacbee.com,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
At other events, RAM's compassion is impeded by red tape.—
Brit McCandless Farmer,
CBS News,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Beyond the Cal/OSHA investigation, which has not previously been detailed publicly, attorneys for the state allege the Sheriff’s Department has impeded the workplace safety inquiry and refused to hand over vital documents, according to court filings in an ongoing dispute between the two agencies.—
Richard Winton,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The slide appears to have involved a thick slab of soft snow breaking loose at a weak layer in the snowpack, the report said.—
Ethan Baron,
Mercury News,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Endowed not only with a privileged birthright but—unlike the actual princes over in England, who had weak chins and went bald young—the physical stature to match?—
Jeffrey Eugenides,
New Yorker,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Last week, before the court recessed for Easter, John briefly took the stand, legs and hands shackled and dressed in a khaki-colored prison uniform.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Many of the men were beheaded and women captured; Umar ibn Sa’d marched the spiked heads and shackled women through various towns on the way back to Caliph Yazid in Damascus to deter further protest.—
Mary Thurlkill,
The Conversation,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Handcuffed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/handcuffed. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.
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