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
-
Sure, Cignetti wants to beat the s— out of every opponent, especially helpless Purdue.—
Jason Kirk,
New York Times,
5 May 2026
-
Punk appeared helpless as Reigns picked him up.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
20 Apr. 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
-
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
-
Abreu came through again with a sacrifice fly to score Jarren Duran in the bottom of the inning, but the potential Red Sox rally was hampered after Willson Contreras was thrown out at second trying to stretch a single into a double for the inning’s first out.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
8 May 2026
-
The wear and tear of lengthy overtimes also hampered the Mammoth’s skaters.—
Shayna Goldman,
New York Times,
6 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
-
The Dodgers tied it in the bottom of the second when Teoscar Hernandez scored from first base on a double to right field from Kyle Tucker.—
Doug Padilla,
Oc Register,
9 May 2026
-
Northeast tied for eighth (22 points), and Plantation (13 points) was 16th.—
Gary Curreri,
Sun Sentinel,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
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
-
Meanwhile, the rest of the NBA is widely expected to be more competitive next season — from the bottom tier, where anti-tanking regulations and a weaker draft class should curb teams’ intentional losing, to the upper echelons, where Oklahoma City and San Antonio stand tall.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
8 May 2026
-
Conditions change quickly, signals conflict with each other, and weak assumptions tend to get exposed without much delay.—
Lyssanoel Frater,
USA Today,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
While being detained, Dabrio Marrero said each time he was transferred he was shackled by his hands and wrists to his waist.—
Sean Krofssik,
Hartford Courant,
6 May 2026
-
Here, his mournful ex-convict is finally tasting freedom in a country that wants to keep him metaphorically shackled.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Handcuffed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/handcuffed. Accessed 15 May. 2026.
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