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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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
  • The wartime mood among European and American intellectuals was hopeless, or, rather, in her estimation, helpless.
    — David Denby, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026
  • And the sport — players in uniform and executives in suits alike — all march toward the cliff in shackles of their own design, seemingly helpless to find a compromise.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of helpless
Verb
  • Authorities immediately launched a rescue operation involving firefighters, police, the National Disaster Response Force and civic officials but efforts were hampered by narrow access lanes that prevented the use of heavy machinery, officials said.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Recovery efforts for the spacecraft, known as Ship 40, have been hampered by challenging conditions and rough seas.
    — Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of hampered
Adjective
  • Implantable systems that enable paralyzed people to operate computers, wheelchairs, cursors, and other equipment with just their thoughts have been shown by Neuralink and other initiatives.
    — Chuck Brooks, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Karwowski came across his photo on social media and immediately recognized the seriousness of his condition, having previously cared for a paralyzed cat.
    — Pat Mueller, USA Today, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of paralyzed
Verb
  • The pickle brine impeded the wine’s crisp finish, too, leaving me with a flat-feeling, dense-tasting glass.
    — Elliott Harrell, Bon Appetit Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Folks who are hundreds of miles away from the forest are impeded by wildfire smoke.
    — Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 29 July 2026
Definition of impeded
Adjective
  • Many forex brokers respond to weak rankings by publishing more market guides, adding country pages and building links.
    — David Ispiryan, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Slow money growth means weak nominal growth and low inflation, which in turn keeps interest rates and bond yields depressed—and the yen weak.
    — Nicholas Gordon, Fortune, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of weak
Verb
  • Regulations still fail to properly safeguard community health, Alfaro said, especially for children whose development can be hindered after pesticide exposure.
    — Vince Basada, Sacbee.com, 15 Aug. 2026
  • But Oleh’s transition did more or less coincide with the Russian invasion, which has severely hindered his ability to live freely and openly at a time when men are expected to serve their country in the armed forces.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of hindered
Verb
  • One month later, Europe embarrassed the United States on American soil at the Ryder Cup.
    — Dan Zaksheske, FOXNews.com, 19 July 2026
  • The suitors embarrassed themselves one by one, until Antinous demanded Penelope simply choose the best of them.
    — Tanya Fedak, Variety, 18 July 2026
Definition of embarrassed
Verb
  • Also arguing the county obstructed the federal government's authority.
    — Dennis Valera, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
  • From across the street, Yñiga’s view grew increasingly obstructed, first by an ambulance, then a parade of menacing black SUVs, and finally a van that disgorged a reporter and a yawning cameraman.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of obstructed

Browse Nearby Words

hog-tie
hog-tied
hog-ties
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hog-tied.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hog-tied. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of zeugma

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Words of the Week - Aug. 14

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All