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
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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
Ben Travers, IndieWire, 9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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
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This is obvious enough in the contrast between the aggressive takedown in humor and the helpless surrender in tears.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
23 Sep. 2025
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The series also starred Portia de Rossi as the family's layabout daughter, Lindsay; David Cross as her aspiring actor husband, Tobias; Alia Shawkat as their teen daughter, Maeby; Jessica Walter as the family's elitist matriarch, Lucille; and Tony Hale as the dynasty's helpless youngest son, Buster.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
22 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Penn State came up short against Oregon last week, and the second loss of the season hampered their chances of making the College Football Playoff with a tough road ahead of them.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
5 Oct. 2025
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After being hampered by injuries late in his time with the Royals, Keller is healthy and happy to be part of Chicago’s bullpen.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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One of the saddest parts of Remember The Titans is when Bertier got into a car accident that left him paralyzed before their last game.—
Jessica Booth,
PEOPLE,
29 Sep. 2025
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Inside, the wasp provisions its offspring with paralyzed spiders or insects.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Another lottery pick, Leo Carlsson, twice impeded Utah’s progress up the ice.—
Andrew Knoll,
Oc Register,
23 Sep. 2025
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The implementation of the SCORE Act could be impeded by other types of legal challenges.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Stevenson has become more intentional with his efforts to understand offensive concepts and routes and the ways opposing teams often attack his weak spots.—
Dan Wiederer,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
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But this weaker god jumped in without hesitation and was gifted the ability to become Tonatiuh, the sun.—
Michael Schulman,
New Yorker,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The new law removes the certificate of need requirement for facilities with four or fewer beds, a major obstacle that previously hindered their creation.—
Killian Baarlaer,
Louisville Courier Journal,
3 Oct. 2025
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Some McElwain staffers argue the Gators’ 2016 defense could have led a CFP push if Luke Del Rio remained healthy, and offseason shoulder/leg injuries hindered Lagway’s progress this fall.—
Matt Baker,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The Revolution provided a brief scare through a 59th-minute goal from Dor Turgeman, who embarrassed a defender before curling home a spectacular effort, but Inter Miami broke the tie almost immediately after the strike that made the score 2-1.—
Franco Panizo,
Miami Herald,
5 Oct. 2025
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Me, a beautiful and clever five-time Emmy-winning writer with a few Wednesday nights free, and The Golden Bachelor, a heartwarming and adorable exploration of women’s second acts with a male doofus at the center who has already embarrassed himself.—
Ali Barthwell,
Vulture,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Women are barred from ordination in the Catholic Church, and the disagreement has obstructed attempts to bring the churches together.—
Christopher Lamb,
CNN Money,
3 Oct. 2025
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Comey is alleged to have obstructed Congress by lying to a Senate committee in 2020 while being questioned about probes into Trump in 2016, according to the indictment.—
Filip Timotija,
The Hill,
26 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hog-tied.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hog-tied. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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