hog-tied 1 of 2

adjective

as in helpless
unable to act or achieve one's purpose prosecutors were hog-tied as the convicted felon was freed on a technicality

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

hog-tied

2 of 2

verb

past tense of hog-tie
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of hog-tied
Verb
In fact, police questioned several other men in connection with the murder of Weaver, who was hog-tied, raped and strangled by her attacker, who then set a fire in her bedroom to cover his tracks, court papers state. — Corky Siemaszko, NBC news, 15 May 2026 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
  1. helpless
  2. hampered
  3. paralyzed
  4. impeded
  5. weak
  6. hindered
  7. embarrassed
  8. obstructed
Adjective
  • Muslims who are peace-loving and helpless also need a hand up.
    — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Yes, there were moments of humor, such as getting magic potions around the campfire at the end of each stage by whacking helpless little elves, but most of it was played straight, to great effect.
    — Ollie Barder, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of helpless
Verb
  • The lack of wreckage has hampered efforts to determine the cause of the sinking and where to focus search operations, authorities said.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The shouting match ultimately ended with Anthony deciding not to testify, a decision his attorneys said hampered his ability to effectively claim self-defense in the killing.
    — Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of hampered
Adjective
  • Continue reading … SELFLESS ACT — Dad of five paralyzed after diving into ocean to save child from rip current.
    — , FOXNews.com, 24 Aug. 2026
  • After, Clancy cut her wrists and neck and jumped out of a second-story window, which left her paralyzed.
    — Melina Khan, USA Today, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of paralyzed
Verb
  • Kupor, head of the government’s chief human resources agency since July 2025, has publicly argued even jobs conducive to remote work can be impeded by working from home.
    — Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Kenya’s Red Cross said difficult terrain and a fire at the site of the crash impeded its search and recovery efforts.
    — Alexandra Bacallao, NBC news, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of impeded
Adjective
  • The heat has caused a fall in nuclear generation, with power plants forced to shut down or reduce production across the region, while wind power generation has been weak over the summer.
    — Jenni Reid, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The state financial watchdog attributed the disbursement problems to administrative delays, weak project management, and late counterpart funding from the Congolese government.
    — Ruben Nyanguila, semafor.com, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of weak
Verb
  • Dodson and Rodriguez had been competing for the starting spot opposite Brooks, but injuries to that unit had watered down the competition and hindered the evaluation process.
    — Omar Kelly August 26, Miami Herald, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The location of his injury has led some to wonder if he’ll be hindered — Judge did slump for a few weeks while playing through pain prior to going on the IL — but Boone didn’t share those concerns on Tuesday.
    — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of hindered
Verb
  • One night earlier in the tour, a woman Usher had brought onstage rebuked him, which embarrassed him.
    — Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 18 Aug. 2026
  • This isn’t a hypercar to smash lap records around the Nürburgring, but nor will it be embarrassed by a Porsche 911 GT3 at a track day.
    — Tim Pitt, Robb Report, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of embarrassed
Verb
  • Fake, obstructed, and missing plates are a major concern with cars and undoubtedly would be with MMVs.
    — Richard Robbins, New York Daily News, 18 Aug. 2026
  • The biggest issue has been seats that have partially obstructed views of the playing field.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of obstructed

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Cite this Entry

“Hog-tied.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hog-tied. Accessed 30 Aug. 2026.

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