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
-
Joint pain that turns stairs into obstacles.—
Lauryn Higgins,
Flow Space,
6 Jan. 2026
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One other obstacle the White House will need to contend with, Hochstein said, is blowback from Gulf countries and from China.—
Tim McDonnell,
semafor.com,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Philanthropy can be the glue that binds generations.—
William Jarvis,
Fortune,
28 Oct. 2025
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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
-
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
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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
-
Billing Headaches Clearing the access hurdles to HIV prevention medicine was just the beginning.—
Zach Dyer,
Miami Herald,
6 Jan. 2026
-
Development of Greenland’s mineral resources is challenging because of the island’s harsh climate, while strict environmental controls have proved an additional hurdle for potential investors.—
Danica Kirka,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
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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
-
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
-
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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In the aftermath, hundreds of rioters were charged with federal crimes, including assault, seditious conspiracy and obstruction of an official proceeding.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN Money,
6 Jan. 2026
-
William DeFoor was identified as the suspect, and jail records show he was booked Monday on charges of vandalism, obstruction of official business, criminal damaging or endangering, and criminal trespass.—
Stephen Sorace , Greg Wehner,
FOXNews.com,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Colin Farrell reprised his role as Oz Cobb on HBO's The Penguin, which ties into the events of The Batman Part II.—
Mekishana Pierre,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Jan. 2026
-
An insurgency that ties the United States down in Venezuela would delight Beijing and Russia.—
Eliot A. Cohen,
The Atlantic,
4 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shackles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shackles. Accessed 8 Jan. 2026.
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