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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of shackles
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
20 June 2026
Last year, video of Collins placing shackles on a white woman’s wrists at the museum gained attention on social media.
—
Terry Tang,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
The National Historic Park now displays chains and shackles in concrete along with information about the area's history.
—
Usa Today Network,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
Brown, who entered the courtroom wearing a black and gray jumpsuit and orange shackles on his hands and feet, had multiple outbursts during the brief hearing Tuesday morning.
—
Andy Buck,
CNN Money,
9 June 2026
His Department of Homeland Security regularly posts photos of people being deported, emphasizing and celebrating their shackles.
—
Conor Friedersdorf,
The Atlantic,
6 June 2026
In some ways this is like many postcolonial nations in the Global South, although Norway’s claims to being a postcolonial country recently freed from the shackles of foreign domination are difficult to sustain in the face of its treatment of indigenous people like the Sámi.
—
Ola Morris Innset,
The Dial,
2 June 2026
After she was brought to the Whipple Building, where federal immigration activities were headquartered, agents cut off some of her clothing and her wedding ring, put her in shackles and left her in a cell for hours, according to the lawsuit.
—
Mars King,
Twin Cities,
28 May 2026
It would have been misguided to paint himself as the bold employee held back by the ownership’s shackles.
—
Beren Cross,
New York Times,
16 May 2026
Noun
Haiti is the world’s first Black independent republic after African slaves defeated Napoleon’s army and broke the shackles of slavery.
—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
20 June 2026
Last year, video of Collins placing shackles on a white woman’s wrists at the museum gained attention on social media.
—
Terry Tang,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
The National Historic Park now displays chains and shackles in concrete along with information about the area's history.
—
Usa Today Network,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
Brown, who entered the courtroom wearing a black and gray jumpsuit and orange shackles on his hands and feet, had multiple outbursts during the brief hearing Tuesday morning.
—
Andy Buck,
CNN Money,
9 June 2026
His Department of Homeland Security regularly posts photos of people being deported, emphasizing and celebrating their shackles.
—
Conor Friedersdorf,
The Atlantic,
6 June 2026
In some ways this is like many postcolonial nations in the Global South, although Norway’s claims to being a postcolonial country recently freed from the shackles of foreign domination are difficult to sustain in the face of its treatment of indigenous people like the Sámi.
—
Ola Morris Innset,
The Dial,
2 June 2026
After she was brought to the Whipple Building, where federal immigration activities were headquartered, agents cut off some of her clothing and her wedding ring, put her in shackles and left her in a cell for hours, according to the lawsuit.
—
Mars King,
Twin Cities,
28 May 2026
It would have been misguided to paint himself as the bold employee held back by the ownership’s shackles.
—
Beren Cross,
New York Times,
16 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shackles
Noun
-
There was an element of cynicism, but not on the part of determined prosecutors who overcame obstacles and brought the case to guilty pleas by three defendants and the conviction on 21 counts of the public official who ignited the scandal.
-
But obstacles veered her away from art for years.
Verb
-
Phytic acid binds directly to HDAC3 and turns on its activity.
-
There's so much that binds us and connects us.
Verb
-
Maintain a safe distance from large vehicles - Trucks or buses can produce a water spray that hampers visibility.
-
Maintain a safe distance from large vehicles - Trucks or buses can produce a water spray that hampers visibility.
Noun
-
However, there are still some hurdles to surmount, particularly financing.
-
Here’s how experts suggest overcoming these hurdles.
Verb
-
To address this, Ivo uses a multi-step pipeline that chains together more than 400 model calls for each contract review.
-
Tokyo Central is owned by Japanese company Pan Pacific Retail Management, which also runs the grocery chains Gelson’s and Don Quijote.
Verb
-
This is due, in large part, to expectations of a strong El Niño, which traditionally hinders storm development.
-
Our systems are overly complex, spanning hundreds of dependencies, which hinders our ability to move fast.
Noun
-
That airflow obstruction sends oxygen levels plummeting, stimulating the pulmonary arteries to squeeze.
-
Nixon then inserted himself into an obstruction of justice case by talking with an aide about blocking the FBI investigation, which eventually led to an impeachment inquiry by the House of Representatives and his eventual resignation.
Verb
-
And yet, in spite of its Clark and Dearborn gambit and an hourlong finale that ties far too many bows on top of bows, Season 5 works because its artistic machinations are rooted in character over plot, and the characters are what matters.
-
Athletes who specialize early are also at elevated risk for depression, anxiety, and the kind of perfectionism that ties self-worth directly to competitive outcomes.
Cite this Entry
“Shackles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shackles. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
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