1
as in chain
something that physically prevents free movement
placed shackles on the legs of the prisoners
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in embarrassment
shackles plural
something that makes movement or progress difficult
the shackles of illiteracy can be just as confining as leg irons
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to bind
to confine or restrain with or as if with chains
unwilling to shackle the dogs to the wall of the house
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to hinder
to create difficulty for the work or activity of
shackled by poverty and ignorance
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shackle
Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 12 July 2025
Advertisement Gayton seized Platt again and set sail from Jamaica, keeping him in shackles for months aboard his ship before transferring him to another Royal Navy frigate, which transferred him to a third naval ship headed to England.
—Time, 9 July 2025
Cary Spivak, jsonline.com, 3 July 2025
Really, Song wants to know whether a sensible girl can justify shackling herself to a broke creative.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 12 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for shackle
Noun
Port of Seattle Police confirmed via video cameras that Stevenson, who was in shackles, was caught on video escaping by boarding a light rail train and disappearing for more than a month until he was captured by U.S. Marshals.
—Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 12 July 2025
Advertisement Gayton seized Platt again and set sail from Jamaica, keeping him in shackles for months aboard his ship before transferring him to another Royal Navy frigate, which transferred him to a third naval ship headed to England.
—Time, 9 July 2025
Verb
Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan was arrested at the courthouse, handcuffed behind her back and later shackled at the ankles.
—Cary Spivak, jsonline.com, 3 July 2025
Really, Song wants to know whether a sensible girl can justify shackling herself to a broke creative.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 12 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for shackle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shackle
Noun
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Those items included a rose gold and diamond bracelet worth $15,000, a rose gold and diamond chain worth $50,000, a Rolex Presidential 40mm watch worth $45,000, a Rolex Datejust watch worth $23,000, and a gold and diamond tennis chain worth $30,000.—
Rick Sobey,
Boston Herald,
13 Aug. 2025
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The Coronado property is owned by a trust operated by the Call family, whose patriarch, Jay Call, was the founder of the Flying J. Fuel Co., a major chain of truck stops across North America.—
Phillip Molnar,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
12 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The memory of her own childhood embarrassment—drinking from old creamer containers at school lunch to save money—flashed through her mind.—
Daniella Gray,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Aug. 2025
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Nick Kroll co-created the raunchy comedy, which explores puberty, sexuality, and the never-ending embarrassments of adolescence.—
Huntley Woods,
EW.com,
9 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Devers is bound to get back to All-Star form at the plate over the course of his career in San Francisco.—
Tim Crowley,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Aug. 2025
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When your side hustle involves dealing weed out of the burbs, you're bound to meet some eccentric characters.—
James Mercadante,
EW.com,
7 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Consumer experts as well as current and former CFPB employees, however, said the cuts will likely hinder the agency’s effectiveness.—
Joel Jacobs,
ProPublica,
6 Aug. 2025
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For a company as vast and diverse as PepsiCo, inconsistency in planning systems can hinder visibility and performance.—
Forbes.com,
Forbes.com,
6 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Channeling the status of a luxury tennis bracelet, this 14K white gold pair of hoop earrings from Blue Nile features diamonds in a bezel setting — the perfect mix of classic and on-trend.—
Lauren Alexis Fisher,
Footwear News,
7 Aug. 2025
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Her husband commissioned the bracelet, which was created using antique diamonds from a tiara that belonged to his mother, Princess Alice of Battenberg.—
Meredith Kile,
People.com,
5 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Highlighting the beauty and peril of open water swimming and the obstacles women continue to face in the pursuit of equality, Vindication Swim has been praised for its vivid portrait of Gleitze as a pioneering trailblazer for women’s open water swimming around the world.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
6 Aug. 2025
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The move by Maxwell, while expected, adds to the obstacles the DOJ must overcome to release grand jury transcripts from Epstein's and Maxwell's cases.—
Tracy Wright,
FOXNews.com,
5 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Those declines were tied to a drop in sales of Weyco's Nunn Bush, Stacy Adams, Florsheim and BOGS brands to retailers.—
Sofia Joseph,
jsonline.com,
9 Aug. 2025
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State lawmaker's per-diem reimbursements are tied to federal rates.—
Brittany Carloni,
IndyStar,
9 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Ward was arrested in Texas on June 12 and charged with assault on a family member by impeding breathing or circulation, which is a third-degree felony.—
Paulina Dedaj,
FOXNews.com,
8 Aug. 2025
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Sources claimed the suit could have impeded Skydance’s acquisition of Paramount, which requires approval from the FCC under the Trump administration.—
McKinley Franklin,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shackle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shackle. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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