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
Alex Brizee, Idaho Statesman, 28 Jan. 2026
Varoff entered the courtroom wearing an orange jail inmate uniform with handcuffs on his wrists linked to shackles around his waist.
—Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 28 Jan. 2026
Now manumitted from the shackles of Musk leadership, Zelikman is imagining an AI beyond such chatbots as Grok.
—Frank Landymore, Futurism, 22 Jan. 2026
Investigators found that the shackles on Shane were removed so medical staff could perform an X-ray.
—Christopher Harris, CBS News, 20 Jan. 2026
This is about shaking off the shackles of those one-size-fits-all limitations.
—Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 18 Jan. 2026
Free yourself from those stinking shackles!
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Jan. 2026
Even one of the greatest ever to play this game, Joe Root, could not work out how to break free of the 36-year-old’s shackles here, failing to score a single run off him for 23 balls in a row before finally yielding to the python-like grip when missing one that homed in on his pads.
—Tim Spiers, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
And our liberation from the shackles of homophobia is precisely what pushed Vladimir Putin to start tightening the screws.
—Mikhail Zygar, Vanity Fair, 7 Jan. 2026
Noun
Police said shackles that belonged to Meade, along with Mauney’s dogs, were found in the cabin.
—Alex Brizee, Idaho Statesman, 28 Jan. 2026
Varoff entered the courtroom wearing an orange jail inmate uniform with handcuffs on his wrists linked to shackles around his waist.
—Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 28 Jan. 2026
Now manumitted from the shackles of Musk leadership, Zelikman is imagining an AI beyond such chatbots as Grok.
—Frank Landymore, Futurism, 22 Jan. 2026
Investigators found that the shackles on Shane were removed so medical staff could perform an X-ray.
—Christopher Harris, CBS News, 20 Jan. 2026
This is about shaking off the shackles of those one-size-fits-all limitations.
—Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 18 Jan. 2026
Free yourself from those stinking shackles!
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Jan. 2026
Even one of the greatest ever to play this game, Joe Root, could not work out how to break free of the 36-year-old’s shackles here, failing to score a single run off him for 23 balls in a row before finally yielding to the python-like grip when missing one that homed in on his pads.
—Tim Spiers, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
And our liberation from the shackles of homophobia is precisely what pushed Vladimir Putin to start tightening the screws.
—Mikhail Zygar, Vanity Fair, 7 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shackles
Noun
-
Why cruise lines conduct safety drills Safety drills, also called muster drills, are not the brainchild of a sadistic cruise ship officer, trying to place obstacles between cruise guests and their sunbathing and cocktails.—
Erica Silverstein,
Travel + Leisure,
31 Jan. 2026
-
University officials tried to reassure the campus that the impacts of the new policy would be minimal, affecting only a small portion of the classes being offered and that class cancellations wouldn’t create any obstacles preventing students from staying on course to graduate.—
Juan A. Lozano,
Fortune,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Canned Beans Beans are heart-healthy legumes rich in soluble fiber, which binds to cholesterol in the digestive tract and helps to flush it out of the body.—
Carrie Madormo,
Verywell Health,
28 Jan. 2026
-
One large egg binds with the breadcrumbs and ensures that the meatballs remain moist and tender.—
Robin Miller,
AZCentral.com,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Read the Story US airlines are still paring back flights as a deep freeze hampers the restart of operations at some major hubs.—
Jordan Erb,
Bloomberg,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Maintain a safe distance from large vehicles - Trucks or buses can produce a water spray that hampers visibility.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The first major hurdle was genetics and to solve it, the research team built a dedicated breeding base in Lueyang county in Shaanxi, where Northwest A&F University is based.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Because they are considered low-impact, Type II actions are exempt from the full SEQRA environmental review process, which saves time and reduces bureaucratic hurdles.—
Carlina Rivera,
New York Daily News,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
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
-
Willis was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) in 2023, which hinders his ability to communicate.—
Lexi Carson,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Jan. 2026
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This superficial politeness hinders effective decision-making, erodes accountability, and leaves teams ill-equipped for pressure.—
Benjamin Laker,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Renee Good’s killing raised the profile of the resistance, as well as questions about the lines between observation and obstruction.—
Eric Roper,
Mercury News,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Howard County Circuit Court Judge Stephanie Porter also found Zeah guilty on one of two obstruction of justice charges, but didn't convict on the other.—
Dennis Valera,
CBS News,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
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House Bill 1002 also ties utility profits to performance metrics, including affordability and service restoration.—
Alexandra Kukulka,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Stapleton has won three times in the past, which currently ties him with Kacey Musgraves, Josh Kear and Lori McKenna.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
29 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shackles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shackles. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.
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