as in obstacle
something that makes movement or progress difficult
the shackles of illiteracy can be just as confining as leg irons
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in binds
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 hampers
to create difficulty for the work or activity of
shackled by poverty and ignorance
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shackles
Jessica M. Goldstein, Vulture, 4 Sep. 2025
Upon arrival, the deportees had shackles removed from their wrists and ankles and one at a time descended the stairway of the chartered 767 aircraft to be reprocessed by waiting Cuban immigration and health officials.
—Patrick Oppmann, CNN Money, 2 Sep. 2025
After finishing that section, players could remove their blindfold and then complete a puzzle which gave a key that unlocked their shackles.
—EW.com, 13 Aug. 2025
Noun
Meanwhile, Isaac-Slurp has Pugsley in shackles, relishing the role reversal of master and pet.
—Jessica M. Goldstein, Vulture, 4 Sep. 2025
Upon arrival, the deportees had shackles removed from their wrists and ankles and one at a time descended the stairway of the chartered 767 aircraft to be reprocessed by waiting Cuban immigration and health officials.
—Patrick Oppmann, CNN Money, 2 Sep. 2025
After finishing that section, players could remove their blindfold and then complete a puzzle which gave a key that unlocked their shackles.
—EW.com, 13 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shackles
Noun
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The difficulty in getting rid of players other than those whose contracts expired this summer (Luka Modric, Lucas Vazquez and Jesus Vallejo) was a significant obstacle.—
James McNicholas,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
-
To overcome this obstacle, the MIT team employed lithium-6 atoms, a rare isotope whose resonance frequency shifts depending on temperature.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In Norse mythology, the ash tree known as Yggdrasill binds together all nine worlds, from the underworld of Niflheim to the realm of the gods, Asgard.—
Ellen Walker,
JSTOR Daily,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Aside from Nuñez’s Oscar Martinez, what binds the two series together is, well, paper.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Maintain a safe distance from large vehicles - Trucks or buses can produce a water spray that hampers visibility.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Maintain a safe distance from large vehicles - Trucks or buses can produce a water spray that hampers visibility.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Even if the discharge petition is successful, the underlying bill would have to clear many more hurdles.—
Emily Brooks,
The Hill,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Reports have also pointed to practical hurdles for Optimus, including production bottlenecks, hand dexterity issues, and leadership turnover on the program.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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This innovative platform, which researchers are exploring for applications ranging from flu to cancer to AIDS, poses a threat to global defenses against future crises and hinders progress in biomedical innovation.—
Bernadette Boden Albala,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
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The Bonner hamstring injury further hinders this crew.—
Chris Perkins,
Sun Sentinel,
21 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Wind giant Ørsted sues White House Energy giant Ørsted and two US states sued the White House over its obstruction of a near-complete offshore wind farm, part of the administration’s move away from renewables.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
8 Sep. 2025
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O'Dell pleaded guilty earlier this year to arson, damage to religious property and obstruction of persons in the free exercise of religious beliefs.—
Landon Mion,
FOXNews.com,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The plan also ties Musk's compensation to the mass production of autonomous robotaxis and humanoid robots, technologies Tesla believes could redefine both transportation and labor.—
Theo Burman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Sep. 2025
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Pete escapes into the snowy woods, but Lambert tracks him down and ties him up.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Such misrecognition impedes effective disease management and underscores the need to reevaluate Chagas disease's endemic status.—
Jasmine Laws,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Sep. 2025
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That case alleges Apple systematically impedes third-party apps and accessories, from super-apps to cloud streaming and digital wallets, to keep users locked in.—
Anisha Sircar,
Forbes.com,
28 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shackles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shackles. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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