manacle 1 of 2

manacle

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb manacle contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of manacle are clog, fetter, hamper, shackle, and trammel. While all these words mean "to hinder or impede in moving, progressing, or acting," shackle and manacle are stronger than fetter and suggest total loss of freedom.

a mind shackled by stubborn prejudice
a people manacled by tyranny

When might clog be a better fit than manacle?

Although the words clog and manacle have much in common, clog usually implies a slowing by something extraneous or encumbering.

a court system clogged by frivolous suits

When would fetter be a good substitute for manacle?

The words fetter and manacle can be used in similar contexts, but fetter suggests a restraining so severe that freedom to move or progress is almost lost.

a nation fettered by an antiquated class system

When is it sensible to use hamper instead of manacle?

The synonyms hamper and manacle are sometimes interchangeable, but hamper may imply the effect of any impeding or restraining influence.

hampered the investigation by refusing to cooperate

When can trammel be used instead of manacle?

The words trammel and manacle are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, trammel suggests entangling by or confining within a net.

rules that trammel the artist's creativity

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 manacle
Noun
Beneath it, on the left side of the page, was a picture of Jackson in manacles. Mara Bovsun, New York Daily News, 29 June 2024 During the trial, Wilber wore a manacle around his ankle and a stun belt on his arm. Sarah Volpenhein, Journal Sentinel, 2 Aug. 2022 Brown turned Milwaukee’s defense from manacle to meme. Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 4 May 2022 How to Be an Antiracist is a journal of Kendi's efforts to free himself of the ideological manacles clamped upon him by a society suffused with white supremacism, capitalist exploitation, misogyny and the repression of unconventional sexuality. Dallas News, 26 Aug. 2019 From every officer’s belt there dangled an insectlike furl of disposable plastic manacles. Caleb Crain, Harper's magazine, 22 July 2019 The genie is literally the slave of the lamp, his power bracelets actually manacles keeping him obedient to an endless round of masters. Michael Dirda, Washington Post, 12 June 2019 But beyond the frenzied mix of hormones and alcohol is an intense curiosity in the outside world, one that noisily landed three weeks ago on the doorsteps of Russians, unfiltered and free from the manacles of politics. Amie Ferris-Rotman, Washington Post, 9 July 2018 The cellar dungeons were complete with bolts, chains and manacles for securing captives to the floors. Jonathan W. White, Smithsonian, 27 Feb. 2018
Verb
Once the detainees were on board, agents brought in a van with dozens of women, also manacled, to board next. Eric Cortellessa, Time, 10 June 2025 Drugged, kidnapped, and manacled while a pitiless killer wears her face. Keith Phipps, Vulture, 11 July 2024 Rubio hammered home his argument that there’s no daylight between Cuba’s lack of justice and Trump’s own trial, with a video featuring a military official manacled and brought before a crowd of more than 15,000 in the Havana Sports Palace arena. Orlando Sentinel and South Florida Sun Sentinel Editorial Boards, Orlando Sentinel, 14 June 2024 The scandal is that, instead of doing his duty, the attorney general manacled his own Justice Department’s investigation. The Editors, National Review, 21 July 2023 His hands were manacled to a chain belt at his waist, and his feet were bound by leg irons. Pamela Colloff, ProPublica, 4 Dec. 2019 During those endless days and nights, everything was done to break his will: solitary confinement, pressure to confess by cruel supervisors and the humiliation of being manacled while receiving medical attention. Ariel Dorfman, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2018 They are filmed in lingering close-up as the opening credits roll, a montage of them manacling the wrists, ankles, necks, and dreams of African American men. Rochelle Riley, Detroit Free Press, 25 Feb. 2018 Early practitioners in literary study, the history of language, and anthropology were often ideologically manacled by the cultural mores that encased their object of study. Josephine Livingstone, New Republic, 25 Oct. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for manacle
Noun
  • Amazon’s past success with using Prime Day to drive sales and attract new members spurred other major retail chains to schedule competing sales in July.
    Anne D'Innocenzio, Chicago Tribune, 8 July 2025
  • Its over-the-shoulder chain instantly elevates any outfit, and the bag's rainbow tweed look is sophisticated, polished, and flirty all at once.
    Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 July 2025
Noun
  • These shifts signal a recognition that regulation is not an obstacle to progress but a critical enabler of responsible, adaptive innovation - especially when physically embedded in place.
    Kath Mackay, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025
  • Despite the obstacles, authorities from at least seven neighboring counties have followed countless tips in their hunt for Decker, with some leads running hot.
    Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2025
Verb
  • There, you’re bound to find small and large treasures that will make a big impact on your cooking space.
    Nicole Letts, Southern Living, 6 July 2025
  • She'd been bound and raped before she was wrapped in trash bags and put in the trash can.
    Kirsten Fiscus, The Tennessean, 6 July 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, 30 June 2025
  • Keep clear of puddles - Driving through puddles or low rainwater areas can cause vehicles to hydroplane or skid out of control Maintain a safe distance from large vehicles - Trucks or buses can produce a water spray that hampers visibility.
    KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT, Kansas City Star, 30 June 2025
Noun
  • Both are being held without bond in Frederick County, with bail reviews scheduled for Tuesday afternoon.
    Racquel Bazos, Baltimore Sun, 1 July 2025
  • Many wealthy families categorize art as conventional investments, like stocks or bonds.
    Matthew F. Erskine, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
Noun
  • Frequently the Swedes have been impressive in the early stages of tournaments only to fall at the final hurdle.
    Asif Burhan, Forbes.com, 12 July 2025
  • One of the biggest hurdles was the architecture of the building.
    Meredith G. White, AZCentral.com, 12 July 2025
Verb
  • Given that the government generally does not do great things with its money, tying its spending priorities to debt service is probably a positive.
    Brian Domitrovic, Forbes.com, 6 July 2025
  • Joining him was David Lipsky, who made a clutch eagle on the par-5 17th to tie Grillo and Campbell at 18-under, but a costly bogey on 18 kept him out of the playoff.
    Savannah Leigh Richardson, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 July 2025
Verb
  • This extensive list of options ensures your absence doesn’t hinder your ability to accrue and use your FSA benefits, reflecting a broader understanding of how adaptable life situations and financial planning must be.
    Johnny C. Taylor Jr, USA Today, 2 July 2025
  • The list, created following a Trump executive order, aimed to identify jurisdictions hindering federal immigration laws and potentially withhold their funding.
    Victoria Moorwood, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Manacle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/manacle. Accessed 15 Jul. 2025.

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