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
Bart Jansen, USA Today, 29 Oct. 2025
On Friday, exactly one month after Kirk was assassinated, Robinson requested permission to wear civilian clothes in court and to appear without shackles and cuffs.
—Rachel Wolf, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2025
For independents, knowledge and integrity are keys that unlock the shackles of party dogma.
—John H Bolthouse, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Oct. 2025
Agents arrested some 475 people—including more than 300 South Korean contractors—and led them away in shackles and handcuffs.
—IEEE Spectrum, 9 Oct. 2025
Tender Buttons is a celebration of mutability, a rejoinder to rules, where words are set free from the shackles of meaning and grammatical function, made unfamiliar, and charged with power to make the world afresh.
—Via Scribner, Literary Hub, 7 Oct. 2025
But Eze joined Arsenal shortly before the transfer window closed this summer, and Wilfried Zaha is no longer at the club, so there are fewer shackles for him.
—Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025
Routh returned to the courtroom in shackles with no signs of blood on his shirt, the AP reported.
—Janelle Griffith, PEOPLE, 23 Sep. 2025
Following the incident, Ryan Routh was brought back before the judge in shackles.
—Ella Lee, The Hill, 23 Sep. 2025
Noun
Their return capped a week of intense negotiations by Seoul to win their release and bring them home after they were taken into custody in handcuffs and shackles.
—Bart Jansen, USA Today, 29 Oct. 2025
On Friday, exactly one month after Kirk was assassinated, Robinson requested permission to wear civilian clothes in court and to appear without shackles and cuffs.
—Rachel Wolf, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2025
For independents, knowledge and integrity are keys that unlock the shackles of party dogma.
—John H Bolthouse, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Oct. 2025
Agents arrested some 475 people—including more than 300 South Korean contractors—and led them away in shackles and handcuffs.
—IEEE Spectrum, 9 Oct. 2025
Tender Buttons is a celebration of mutability, a rejoinder to rules, where words are set free from the shackles of meaning and grammatical function, made unfamiliar, and charged with power to make the world afresh.
—Via Scribner, Literary Hub, 7 Oct. 2025
But Eze joined Arsenal shortly before the transfer window closed this summer, and Wilfried Zaha is no longer at the club, so there are fewer shackles for him.
—Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025
Routh returned to the courtroom in shackles with no signs of blood on his shirt, the AP reported.
—Janelle Griffith, PEOPLE, 23 Sep. 2025
Following the incident, Ryan Routh was brought back before the judge in shackles.
—Ella Lee, The Hill, 23 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shackles
Noun
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Yet, their durability remained the key obstacle to commercial deployment.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Nov. 2025
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What resists smooth transmission isn’t an obstacle to communication, but part of its meaning and texture.—
Ross Benjamin,
The Atlantic,
10 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Philanthropy can be the glue that binds generations.—
William Jarvis,
Fortune,
28 Oct. 2025
-
However, there's also another tie that binds the sparkling statements Meghan and Eugenie made, as both of their only tiara wears to date.—
Janine Henni,
PEOPLE,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Damage to the blood-brain barrier leads to inflammation within the brain and hampers the clearance of waste products like beta-amyloid protein (seen in Alzheimer's disease).—
Colleen Doherty,
Verywell Health,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Maintain a safe distance from large vehicles - Trucks or buses can produce a water spray that hampers visibility.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Now that some Democrats have signaled new support for reopening the government, Congress has to clear a number of procedural hurdles.—
Zachary Schermele,
USA Today,
10 Nov. 2025
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Lawmakers must still approve the final version of the continuing resolution and spending package, a process that could take several more days if all 100 senators don’t agree to waive procedural hurdles.—
Nik Popli,
Time,
10 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Texas Roadhouse, which also operates casual dining chains Bubba’s 33 and Jaggers, is expected to report third-quarter results at the end of October.—
Natasha Abellard,
CNBC,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The Martian atmosphere presents a major obstacle to safely and precisely landing on the surface, and also hinders any attempts to return contents (or people) back to Earth.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
6 Nov. 2025
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Therefore, the siloed nature of retail, not a lack of skills or resources, will prove to be the most significant barrier that hinders progress.—
Raj Dhiman,
Sourcing Journal,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The charges included conspiracy to defraud the United States; conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding; obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding; and conspiracy against rights.—
Khaleda Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Nov. 2025
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Look for the nearest tree, fence, building, car, or other obstruction to duck behind.—
Fernando Cervantes Jr,
USA Today,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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More than a century on, that mark ties him to Dan Ballard and the Sunderland-Arsenal Premier League match at the Stadium of Light on Saturday.—
Michael Walker,
New York Times,
10 Nov. 2025
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In the final act, Baramulla ties all its threads together.—
Isadora Wandermurem,
Time,
8 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shackles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shackles. Accessed 14 Nov. 2025.
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