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
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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
CBS News, 26 Mar. 2026
Many, unsurprisingly, led difficult lives not easily bound by the shackles of convention.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 12 Mar. 2026
Freedom will also be tested by whether the Yemeni people, who were hijacked by the Houthis, are freed from the shackles of that Iranian proxy.
—Felice Friedson, New York Daily News, 10 Mar. 2026
When Miller entered the courtroom, he was dressed in an orange jumpsuit and had his hands and feet in shackles.
—Ben Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 9 Mar. 2026
Balat and Kayumi appeared in handcuffs and shackles at the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York in downtown Manhattan on Monday.
—Ashley Carnahan, FOXNews.com, 9 Mar. 2026
The former is now in shackles in a New York detention facility after being snatched from Caracas by US special forces in an extraordinary overnight raid.
—John Liu, CNN Money, 4 Mar. 2026
He was kept in shackles and handcuffs for 16 hours.
—Steve Karnowski, Arkansas Online, 1 Mar. 2026
In a nearby glass case, iron shackles, raw cotton, vintage soap boxes and a 1920s Topsy Turvey Doll affirm stories told by the quilts.
—Susan Degrane, Chicago Tribune, 28 Feb. 2026
Noun
Human rights monitors are trying to keep track as detainees are loaded onto planes in shackles in parts of airports the public can't easily see.
—CBS News, 26 Mar. 2026
Many, unsurprisingly, led difficult lives not easily bound by the shackles of convention.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 12 Mar. 2026
Freedom will also be tested by whether the Yemeni people, who were hijacked by the Houthis, are freed from the shackles of that Iranian proxy.
—Felice Friedson, New York Daily News, 10 Mar. 2026
When Miller entered the courtroom, he was dressed in an orange jumpsuit and had his hands and feet in shackles.
—Ben Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 9 Mar. 2026
Balat and Kayumi appeared in handcuffs and shackles at the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York in downtown Manhattan on Monday.
—Ashley Carnahan, FOXNews.com, 9 Mar. 2026
The former is now in shackles in a New York detention facility after being snatched from Caracas by US special forces in an extraordinary overnight raid.
—John Liu, CNN Money, 4 Mar. 2026
He was kept in shackles and handcuffs for 16 hours.
—Steve Karnowski, Arkansas Online, 1 Mar. 2026
In a nearby glass case, iron shackles, raw cotton, vintage soap boxes and a 1920s Topsy Turvey Doll affirm stories told by the quilts.
—Susan Degrane, Chicago Tribune, 28 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shackles
Noun
-
The robot can respond to voice commands and is programmed to keep safe distances from people and obstacles.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
28 Mar. 2026
-
The 21st century’s obstacles for young men—as seen in deaths of despair and lagging employment—have been amply publicized both by credible journalists and by charlatans such as Fuentes.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Miller was tested for carboxyhemoglobin, a compound generated when carbon monoxide binds to hemoglobin in the blood.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
20 Mar. 2026
-
The seven-time Super Bowl champion has morphed into a glue guy, whose employment as a Fox Sports NFL television analyst, part owner of the Las Vegas Raiders and key partner with Fanatics binds him with almost every major stakeholder in the Flag Football Classic and WrestleMania 42.—
Steve Henson,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Maintain a safe distance from large vehicles - Trucks or buses can produce a water spray that hampers visibility.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
17 Mar. 2026
-
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,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The Kansas City Chiefs’ planned $3 billion stadium in Wyandotte County cleared a major hurdle on Friday, when the Kansas Legislature passed a bill creating a sports authority and renewing the underlying incentive program that will finance the megaproject.—
Matthew Kelly,
Kansas City Star,
28 Mar. 2026
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The four-person crew of Artemis II is at Kennedy Space Center in Florida preparing to lift off and travel to the moon as early as Wednesday — and getting ready for any hurdles space may throw at them.—
Mark Strassmann,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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To address this, Ivo uses a multi-step pipeline that chains together more than 400 model calls for each contract review.—
Charlie Fink,
Forbes.com,
20 Jan. 2026
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Tokyo Central is owned by Japanese company Pan Pacific Retail Management, which also runs the grocery chains Gelson’s and Don Quijote.—
John Metcalfe,
Mercury News,
3 Dec. 2025
Verb
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The instruments used to make antimatter create interference that hinders its study.—
Jacopo Prisco,
CNN Money,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Traveling back across the ocean also hinders preparation for the following week.—
Bobby Burack OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
17 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Dozens of participants were later charged with misdemeanor offenses related to unlawful assembly and obstruction, with many ultimately placed into diversion programs requiring community service.—
Cierra Morgan,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Mar. 2026
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The bill now requires the NYPD to form a plan for how to address and limit obstruction, intimidation and physical injury.—
Josephine Stratman,
New York Daily News,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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That human interest is the common link that ties together public and private space ambitions worldwide.—
Scott Solomon,
The Conversation,
27 Mar. 2026
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The Robb Report ties the entity to Gu Fang, the wife of Chinese billionaire Xu Hang, co-founder of medical device manufacturer Mindray Medical, but Southern California News Group could not confirm that connection.—
Sandra Barrera,
Oc Register,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shackles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shackles. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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