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
Andi Babineau, CNN Money, 23 Apr. 2026
Burke appeared in court on Thursday, wearing an orange inmate jumpsuit and shackles.
—Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026
In film and television, book clubs are portrayed as a way for women to briefly free themselves from the shackles of domestic responsibility, sticky children, feckless husbands.
—Roxane Gay, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026
There was simply not enough of that from Jeremie Frimpong or Milos Kerkez in this tie, but back on home soil, there will be no excuse as the shackles have to come off.
—Oliver Kay, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2026
But Carrera’s course has none of these administrative shackles.
—Peter Wayne Moe, Longreads, 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
Noun
Burke was led into court in a bright orange jumpsuit and leg and arm shackles, which were removed by a deputy after he was seated.
—Andi Babineau, CNN Money, 23 Apr. 2026
Burke appeared in court on Thursday, wearing an orange inmate jumpsuit and shackles.
—Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026
In film and television, book clubs are portrayed as a way for women to briefly free themselves from the shackles of domestic responsibility, sticky children, feckless husbands.
—Roxane Gay, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026
There was simply not enough of that from Jeremie Frimpong or Milos Kerkez in this tie, but back on home soil, there will be no excuse as the shackles have to come off.
—Oliver Kay, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2026
But Carrera’s course has none of these administrative shackles.
—Peter Wayne Moe, Longreads, 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shackles
Noun
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The system continuously maps nearby activity, such as detecting pedestrians, vehicles, and unexpected obstacles.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Apr. 2026
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And that really is a huge obstacle for the Chinese now.—
Jamie Lincoln Kitman,
Rolling Stone,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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These ragtag misfits, who are all incredibly talented and who are in desperate need of each other, and the glue that binds them together is the music and the city.—
Erik Pedersen,
Oc Register,
23 Apr. 2026
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The technique uses a special solvent called ethaline that selectively binds different metals at different voltages, allowing precise separation.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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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,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Maintain a safe distance from large vehicles - Trucks or buses can produce a water spray that hampers visibility.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The biggest hurdles have been the logistics of assembling the designs in conjunction with partners WhiteWater West, which helped design Royal Caribbean’s water park as well.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
25 Apr. 2026
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But for now, many families still face legal hurdles even in places where polyamory is becoming widely accepted.—
Sonja Sharp,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Apr. 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 anti-caking coating that prevents cheese from sticking together also hinders cheese from blending or melting into other foods with ease.—
Josh Miller,
Southern Living,
23 Apr. 2026
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Conversely, destructive energy hinders performance, breeds resentment, and stifles innovation.—
Rebecca Ahmed,
Big Think,
22 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The 13-year-old from Long Island, New York, had been born with ureterovesical junction obstruction, a rare congenital disease, where a blockage between the ureter and bladder causes urine to back up into the kidney.—
Kerry Breen,
CBS News,
25 Apr. 2026
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According to police, necropsy results for both of the dead dogs revealed a cylindrical obstruction, resembling a corn cob, as well as a black substance consistent with bedding material.—
Kellie Love,
Hartford Courant,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The 11 home runs in March/April ties Paul Kornerko for the most by a White Sox player in those months.—
Jeff Vorva,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Apr. 2026
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The decision to name both cubs after rangers ties the zoo’s conservation breeding program to the front-line work of keeping Sumatran tigers alive in the wild.—
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shackles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shackles. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
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