1
as in tying
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in impeding
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of handcuffing
Soon after, four police officers can be seen running up to him and tackling him to the ground before handcuffing him and searching his belongings.
—
Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 18 Oct. 2025
The footage also shows officers handcuffing him.
—Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 1 Oct. 2025
Multiple deputies responded to assist in handcuffing Adair, the KBI said.
—Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 21 Sep. 2025
The sight of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents handcuffing and chaining the wrists, waists and ankles of skilled technicians shocked South Koreans.
—Anthony Kuhn, NPR, 11 Sep. 2025
The deputy saw the interaction and decided to investigate, handcuffing the girl in the process.
—Jade Jackson, IndyStar, 30 Aug. 2025
The video shows deputies handcuffing him and escorting him to a vehicle, at which point the handcuffs are removed from his wrists.
—Chris Spargo, People.com, 13 Aug. 2025
In the episode, first reported by Gothamist and captured on video, a DHS officer is seen handcuffing an aide, who is crying.
—Rebecca Beitsch, The Hill, 2 June 2025
Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 18 Oct. 2025
The footage also shows officers handcuffing him.
—Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 1 Oct. 2025
Multiple deputies responded to assist in handcuffing Adair, the KBI said.
—Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 21 Sep. 2025
The sight of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents handcuffing and chaining the wrists, waists and ankles of skilled technicians shocked South Koreans.
—Anthony Kuhn, NPR, 11 Sep. 2025
The deputy saw the interaction and decided to investigate, handcuffing the girl in the process.
—Jade Jackson, IndyStar, 30 Aug. 2025
The video shows deputies handcuffing him and escorting him to a vehicle, at which point the handcuffs are removed from his wrists.
—Chris Spargo, People.com, 13 Aug. 2025
In the episode, first reported by Gothamist and captured on video, a DHS officer is seen handcuffing an aide, who is crying.
—Rebecca Beitsch, The Hill, 2 June 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for handcuffing
Verb
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But Jays starter Kevin Gausman was able regain control after a rocky first inning, with Toronto eventually tying the game at 1-1 following an Alejandro Kirk sacrifice fly in the third inning.—
Jacob Lev,
CNN Money,
26 Oct. 2025
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The first big blow against Snell, Varsho’s game-tying two-run homer, came with none out in the fourth.—
Ken Rosenthal,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Six citizens were arrested for impeding and threatening to kill agents.—
Rachel Wolf,
FOXNews.com,
25 Oct. 2025
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Martinez has pleaded not guilty to a charge of assaulting, resisting, and impeding officers.—
Eric Levenson,
CNN Money,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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With injuries and inconsistency hampering the wide receiver corps, the Commanders are set to host former Tennessee Titans first-round draft pick Treylon Burks.—
Josh Buckhalter,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Oct. 2025
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Tricia McLaughlin, an assistant secretary with the Department of Homeland Security, claimed that the demonstrators were preventing an ICE vehicle from leaving the federal facility and hampering operations.—
David Chiu,
PEOPLE,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
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In Pahani’s 2006 award-winning comedy Offside, about the cruel cultural chains binding Iranian women, a group of young women attempt to gain entry to a stadium to watch a World Cup qualifying match between Iran and Japan.—
Baz Bamigboye,
Deadline,
24 Oct. 2025
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Theoretical modeling showed stronger Gibbs free energy gains for Zn²⁺/H⁺ binding in HAT-TP compared with HAT-CN, explaining its high discharge potential.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Relieve Compaction Excessive traffic on a lawn causes the soil particles in the turf’s root zone to press more closely together, hindering access to water, nutrients, and oxygen.—
Megan Hughes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
22 Oct. 2025
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Can what’s hindering the Chargers’ defense be fixed in only a matter of days?—
Elliott Teaford,
Oc Register,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The adult passenger in the vehicle was also arrested and charged with obstructing a police officer, and three separate warrants, according to the release.—
Anna Kleiber,
jsonline.com,
27 Oct. 2025
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In November 2018, Stankovic was arrested in Long Island, New York, for resisting arrest and obstructing governmental administration, McLaughlin said.—
Adam Sabes,
FOXNews.com,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Many Spanish eateries keep tables and chairs outdoors, even after hours, by stacking them together and even chaining them to deter theft.—
Moná Thomas,
PEOPLE,
22 Oct. 2025
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Zeus ultimately punishes Prometheus by chaining him to a rock and sending an eagle to eat his liver every day.—
James Folta,
Literary Hub,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
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For French Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin, the heist spotlights embarrassing security failings at one of France’s most venerable institutions.—
Jacqui Palumbo,
CNN Money,
21 Oct. 2025
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The New York Mets fell short of the postseason in embarrassing fashion last season, so this offseason is going to be more important than ever.—
Zach Pressnell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Handcuffing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/handcuffing. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.
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