1
as in binding
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
For Jones, doing his part meant observing, which led to at least four officers jumping on his back, handcuffing him, crushing his legs, and grinding his forehead into the frozen concrete.
—
Evan Minsker, Rolling Stone, 7 Feb. 2026
The officer around the man's neck then moves his hands to assist the other two officers in handcuffing the man, and replaces his hands with his knee on the man's head and neck.
—Hayley Walker, NBC news, 14 Jan. 2026
Video from Ford Fischer with News2Share showed agents roughly handcuffing the man with his face on the pavement, and carrying him away as people in the area yelled, honked and blew whistles.
—Mara H. Gottfried, Twin Cities, 12 Jan. 2026
The clip posted by the White House begins with footage of a protest against ICE operations before cutting to a montage of agents handcuffing and detaining people.
—Luke Fountain, CNBC, 2 Dec. 2025
The recording depicts at least three agents pushing Enriquez to the ground and handcuffing him.
—Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Nov. 2025
Law enforcement began handcuffing and pulling people sitting in front of the office’s gates.
—Katie Langford, Denver Post, 28 Oct. 2025
Moments later, police officers suddenly surrounded him, ordering him to the ground and handcuffing him, the local station reported.
—Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 27 Oct. 2025
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
Evan Minsker, Rolling Stone, 7 Feb. 2026
The officer around the man's neck then moves his hands to assist the other two officers in handcuffing the man, and replaces his hands with his knee on the man's head and neck.
—Hayley Walker, NBC news, 14 Jan. 2026
Video from Ford Fischer with News2Share showed agents roughly handcuffing the man with his face on the pavement, and carrying him away as people in the area yelled, honked and blew whistles.
—Mara H. Gottfried, Twin Cities, 12 Jan. 2026
The clip posted by the White House begins with footage of a protest against ICE operations before cutting to a montage of agents handcuffing and detaining people.
—Luke Fountain, CNBC, 2 Dec. 2025
The recording depicts at least three agents pushing Enriquez to the ground and handcuffing him.
—Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Nov. 2025
Law enforcement began handcuffing and pulling people sitting in front of the office’s gates.
—Katie Langford, Denver Post, 28 Oct. 2025
Moments later, police officers suddenly surrounded him, ordering him to the ground and handcuffing him, the local station reported.
—Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 27 Oct. 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for handcuffing
Verb
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That cloudy, starchy water is a natural thickener and emulsifier, binding fat and liquid together, loosening the cheese sauce when needed, and creating a smoother, more cohesive texture—all without adding extra cream or cheese.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
21 Feb. 2026
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The Trans Lifeline provides an online resource that discusses binding for all genders.—
Doug Myers,
CBS News,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Bill Essayli, federal prosecutors in Los Angeles have aggressively charged protesters with assaulting and impeding the actions of immigration agents, filing more than 100 cases.—
James Queally,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Feb. 2026
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Homan said nearly 160 people were arrested in the month of January for impeding or assaulting federal officers.—
Ashley Grams,
CBS News,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Acton-Boxboro had taken a 1-0 lead in the second on Riley Bergeron’s goal, only for several waves of Arlington Catholic pressure to finally cash in on Kate Frawley’s game-tying goal early in the third.—
Tom Mulherin,
Boston Herald,
26 Feb. 2026
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Guests lingered late, revisiting the portrait installations and pausing to watch the videos again before collecting goodie bags—with keepsakes from La Mer, Zip Water, California Closets, and James Hardie included, tying the event back to AD’s broader focus on world-class innovation.—
Andrea Navarro,
Vogue,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Dry air and gusty winds are hampering fire crews, particularly in the southern Rockies and Plains, where blustery conditions in New Mexico and Texas are fueling rapid spread through tinder-dry grasses.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN Money,
20 Feb. 2026
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Rescuers faced a winter storm dumping more than 2 inches of snow an hour in the area, grounding rescue helicopters and hampering ground crews trying to reach the missing skiers, according to the Sierra Avalanche Center.—
Meredith Deliso,
ABC News,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Romance feels confining as Venus clashes with Uranus today.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
8 Feb. 2026
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The requirement to add wheels adds costs and can limit where these homes are allowed, often confining them to mobile home parks under local zoning rules.—
Samantha Delouya,
CNN Money,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Here's how often to prune succulents without hindering their growth.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
26 Feb. 2026
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At last week’s Rio de Janeiro Open, there was an even more severe case of a hindrance hindering the player who committed it much more than the player on the other side of the net.—
Charlie Eccleshare,
New York Times,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Men are often the ones in those ICE facilities who are shackling and chaining detainees.—
Anna Moeslein,
Glamour,
7 Feb. 2026
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In Wisconsin, a bill that would restrict shackling inmates while in labor — something most states already ban — has repeatedly failed to pass the state Legislature.—
Jon Schuppe,
NBC news,
18 Dec. 2025
Verb
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This bag will protect the toilet from paint without obstructing the space between the wall and the tank.—
Timothy Dale,
Better Homes & Gardens,
26 Feb. 2026
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Cops charged Coulibaly with assault on a police officer, obstructing government administration and disorderly conduct.—
Thomas Tracy,
New York Daily News,
26 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Handcuffing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/handcuffing. Accessed 1 Mar. 2026.
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