1
as in chain
usually manacles plural
something that physically prevents free movement
manacles prevented the bear from roaming beyond a very small area
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in obstacle
something that makes movement or progress difficult
the warring groups need to shake off the manacle of their troubled past and learn to live with one another in peace
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to bind
to confine or restrain with or as if with chains
manacled the prisoner to the wall
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to hamper
to create difficulty for the work or activity of
in this situation, the police are manacled by unnecessary regulations
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 manacle
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
The cellar dungeons were complete with bolts, chains and manacles for securing captives to the floors.
—Jonathan W. White, Smithsonian, 27 Feb. 2018
Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 21 Jan. 2026
And single file and manacled is exactly how 238 Venezuelans were frog-marched into El Salvador’s prisons last March, expelled from the U.S. without trial.
—Time, 10 Sep. 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
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
The cellar dungeons were complete with bolts, chains and manacles for securing captives to the floors.
—Jonathan W. White, Smithsonian, 27 Feb. 2018
Verb
King appeared in a gray and white, striped prison suit, with his hands manacled at his waist.
—Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 21 Jan. 2026
And single file and manacled is exactly how 238 Venezuelans were frog-marched into El Salvador’s prisons last March, expelled from the U.S. without trial.
—Time, 10 Sep. 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for manacle
Noun
-
The chain, of course, is known for its 24/7 operating capacity.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
25 Jan. 2026
-
All available buses will be outfitted with chains on their tires, but articulated ones will be removed from service for safety reasons.—
January 25,
CBS News,
25 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
In addition to the giant uncertainty of hemp’s future, there are some serious obstacles for the cannabis industry to get over.—
Will Yakowicz,
Forbes.com,
24 Jan. 2026
-
Leaders such as midfielder Andi Sullivan and goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury, who consistently fielded questions about the off-field obstacles, are still key parts of the team’s leadership in 2026.—
Emily Olsen,
New York Times,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The president then boarded a different aircraft bound for Davos shortly after midnight.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
21 Jan. 2026
-
With spectacular stargazing and safari opportunities available, the 2030 total solar eclipse is bound to be popular and, for eclipse chasers in North America and Europe, rather expensive.—
Jamie Carter,
Space.com,
20 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Typically, Apple has stuck to a two-year cycle for external design changes, so this makes sense, but if, as is reported, the lack of a second camera lens hampered sales, Apple may yet rethink that decision.—
David Phelan,
Forbes.com,
20 Jan. 2026
-
More than two dozen active fires blazed through 21,000 acres as temperatures above 100 degrees and strong winds hampered firefighting efforts.—
Javier Torres,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
This week’s bond drama in Tokyo has investors worried that Asia’s second-largest economy is losing control of its finances.—
William Pesek,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
-
Priester was detained in federal custody until July 8, 2025, when he was released on bond, per the statement.—
Colson Thayer,
PEOPLE,
22 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Data security presents another hurdle.—
Sahar Hashmi,
Forbes.com,
25 Jan. 2026
-
Around the same time as the actions aimed at the five states, the administration put up hurdles to Minnesota for even more federal dollars.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Xavier Booker tied a season-high with eight boards.—
Aaron Heisen,
Daily News,
25 Jan. 2026
-
Companies operating in sectors tied to land, water, minerals, and security often sit directly on fault lines where rights claims and economic goals collide.—
Monica Sanders,
Forbes.com,
25 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Normally, scent voices are mere whispers compared to the screams and angry shouts of humans, but in that section, certain sensitive plant species shrieked incessantly because of their proximity to plants that hindered their growth.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Among the factors hindering higher youth participation, CIRCLE research shows, include confusing registration deadlines and requirements, a lack of youth outreach and a dearth of regular curriculum that teaches young people about elections and voting in school.—
Tess Kenny,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Manacle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/manacle. Accessed 28 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
