as in bind
something that physically prevents free movement
the man reluctantly held out his wrists so the policeman could snap on handcuffs
Synonyms & Similar Words
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1
as in binds
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 hampers
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 handcuffs
Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 6 Sep. 2025
The judge ordered the sheriff’s office to follow necessary procedures to ensure Adelson cannot self-harm before she was led away in handcuffs after the guilty verdict Thursday night.
—Lauren Del Valle, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 2025
Drummond appeared in court wearing handcuffs.
—Arkansas Online, 6 Sep. 2025
At that point, he was placed in handcuffs and escorted out of the business to the officer's patrol car.
—Greta Cross, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025
State troopers massed around him; later, he was led out of the capitol in handcuffs.
—Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 2 Sep. 2025
The handcuffs will prevent Google from negotiating contracts that give its search engine, Gemini AI app, Play Store for Android and virtual assistant an exclusive position on smartphone, personal computers and other devices.
—Michael Liedtke, Chicago Tribune, 2 Sep. 2025
He was led away in handcuffs and charged with felony theft.
—Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 28 Aug. 2025
In the videos from Wednesday shared by Khaled, New York Police Department officers are seen going into the building and later coming out with the two brothers in handcuffs.
—Colin Sheeley, NBC news, 23 Aug. 2025
Omar Kelly
august 19, Miami Herald, 19 Aug. 2025
At the crash site, some of the rescuers find Morrow, who holds them at gunpoint and handcuffs them together in the lab.
—Dave Nemetz, TVLine, 12 Aug. 2025
Noun
Wilson's dying body was pulled inside the home by the family and restrained with his own handcuffs.
—Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 6 Sep. 2025
The judge ordered the sheriff’s office to follow necessary procedures to ensure Adelson cannot self-harm before she was led away in handcuffs after the guilty verdict Thursday night.
—Lauren Del Valle, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 2025
Drummond appeared in court wearing handcuffs.
—Arkansas Online, 6 Sep. 2025
At that point, he was placed in handcuffs and escorted out of the business to the officer's patrol car.
—Greta Cross, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025
State troopers massed around him; later, he was led out of the capitol in handcuffs.
—Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 2 Sep. 2025
The handcuffs will prevent Google from negotiating contracts that give its search engine, Gemini AI app, Play Store for Android and virtual assistant an exclusive position on smartphone, personal computers and other devices.
—Michael Liedtke, Chicago Tribune, 2 Sep. 2025
He was led away in handcuffs and charged with felony theft.
—Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 28 Aug. 2025
In the videos from Wednesday shared by Khaled, New York Police Department officers are seen going into the building and later coming out with the two brothers in handcuffs.
—Colin Sheeley, NBC news, 23 Aug. 2025
Verb
But this unit is two plays — or better yet, two injuries — from being a disaster that handcuffs Miami’s offense, like last year’s unit did, after Grier laughed at the media for its concern about fragile state of the 2024 O-line.
—Omar Kelly
august 19, Miami Herald, 19 Aug. 2025
At the crash site, some of the rescuers find Morrow, who holds them at gunpoint and handcuffs them together in the lab.
—Dave Nemetz, TVLine, 12 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for handcuffs
Noun
-
Schubkegel said her own decision to leave the workforce put her family in a financial bind.—
Madeline Mitchell,
USA Today,
31 Aug. 2025
-
The flag movement has put the government in an awkward bind.—
Olivia Kemp,
CNN Money,
29 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
In Norse mythology, the ash tree known as Yggdrasill binds together all nine worlds, from the underworld of Niflheim to the realm of the gods, Asgard.—
Ellen Walker,
JSTOR Daily,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Aside from Nuñez’s Oscar Martinez, what binds the two series together is, well, paper.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Maintain a safe distance from large vehicles - Trucks or buses can produce a water spray that hampers visibility.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Maintain a safe distance from large vehicles - Trucks or buses can produce a water spray that hampers visibility.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
This innovative platform, which researchers are exploring for applications ranging from flu to cancer to AIDS, poses a threat to global defenses against future crises and hinders progress in biomedical innovation.—
Bernadette Boden Albala,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
-
The Bonner hamstring injury further hinders this crew.—
Chris Perkins,
Sun Sentinel,
21 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
This past July, the conservative advocacy group America First Legal requested a federal investigation of the chain due to its alleged discrimination against white employees.—
Graham Hillard,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Sep. 2025
-
The death sets off a chain of events that forces Lilian to revisit her fractured family life and complicated bond with her ex-husband.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The plan also ties Musk's compensation to the mass production of autonomous robotaxis and humanoid robots, technologies Tesla believes could redefine both transportation and labor.—
Theo Burman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Pete escapes into the snowy woods, but Lambert tracks him down and ties him up.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Such misrecognition impedes effective disease management and underscores the need to reevaluate Chagas disease's endemic status.—
Jasmine Laws,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Sep. 2025
-
That case alleges Apple systematically impedes third-party apps and accessories, from super-apps to cloud streaming and digital wallets, to keep users locked in.—
Anisha Sircar,
Forbes.com,
28 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
The premium on French 30-year bonds breached a level last seen in 2008 as the government is on the brink of collapse, putting the country’s deficit reduction plans at risk .—
Jenni Reid,
CNBC,
3 Sep. 2025
-
On the long list of commonplace myths surrounding enterprise networking, the general public sometimes perceives that the work only fits extroverts developing purely transactional bonds.—
Nia Bowers,
USA Today,
3 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Handcuffs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/handcuffs. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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