as in helpless
unable to act or achieve one's purpose
prosecutors were hog-tied as the convicted felon was freed on a technicality
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in hampered
to create difficulty for the work or activity of
their principals' inflexible demands virtually hog-tied the diplomats' efforts to negotiate a peace treaty
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hog-tied
Matt Cabral, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Jan. 2026
Well, for one, the go-to induction method is being roused from your bed in the middle of the night, hog-tied, and tossed in a van.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 9 Sep. 2025
Verb
Most damning of all is that her body was found hog-tied in a conspicuously similar fashion as Reynolds’ previous presumptive victim, Bunny Davis.
—Matt Cabral, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Jan. 2026
Well, for one, the go-to induction method is being roused from your bed in the middle of the night, hog-tied, and tossed in a van.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 9 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hog-tied
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
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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
-
An amusing film if not altogether convincing, Lee Cronin’s The Mummy is protracted and exceedingly hampered by imitation.—
Gregory Nussen,
Deadline,
16 Apr. 2026
-
But it has been hampered by technical and staffing issues, the Financial Times reported, with passengers in 15 countries waiting up to three hours at security.—
Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson,
semafor.com,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
After colliding with a car that ended up in her racing path on Sunday, she's been left paralyzed from the neck down.—
Conor Wight,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Adriana Maria, 16, was competing in a wrestling match at Matawan’s Old Bridge High School in January when a move left her paralyzed.—
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
This shall not be impeded by the cessation of hostilities.—
Yarden Segev,
NBC news,
16 Apr. 2026
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Robert Brulle, a visiting professor at Brown University who studies fossil fuel lobbying, said ExxonMobil led efforts to discredit climate science that successfully impeded government intervention.—
Alex Kuffner,
USA Today,
15 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Small hail is possible, and an isolated weak/brief tornado can't be ruled out.—
Mary Ours,
CBS News,
18 Apr. 2026
-
Sean McMorris, transparency, ethics and accountability program manager with California Common Cause, a nonpartisan government watchdog, said in an email Friday that heavy reliance on outside vendors can increase the risk of fraud or mismanagement if oversight is weak.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
18 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Since October of last year, the agency has lost more than 1,500 agents, and these unfilled positions have severely hindered operational capacity at a critical moment.—
La'Tasha Givens,
CBS News,
17 Apr. 2026
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Trout was also a major storyline, as the superstar, hindered by injuries for several years, totaled five dingers in the four-game set.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The transparency issue also became important after the board embarrassed itself by quietly boosting board members’ pay by 25% — with Foley being the only member opposed.—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
16 Apr. 2026
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And, as if embarrassed by the whole business, the show will do something crazy to blast the tear from your eye.—
Television Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Still facing charges are Heather Morrow and William Stanley, who are alleged to have obstructed Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents at their office off Tyvola Centre Drive.—
Ryan Oehrli
April 16,
Charlotte Observer,
16 Apr. 2026
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Orbán, who refused to sever Hungary’s ties to Moscow following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, has repeatedly obstructed European efforts to aid Kyiv.—
Kapil Komireddi,
New Yorker,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hog-tied.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hog-tied. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
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