1
as in binding
to confine or restrain with or as if with chains
unwilling to shackle the dogs to the wall of the house
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in hampering
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 shackling
The Baltimore region has suffered too long from underinvestment in transit services — which is shackling economic growth, harming the environment and constraining quality of life for families.
—
Brandon Scott, Baltimore Sun, 25 Feb. 2026
Men are often the ones in those ICE facilities who are shackling and chaining detainees.
—Anna Moeslein, Glamour, 7 Feb. 2026
In Wisconsin, a bill that would restrict shackling inmates while in labor — something most states already ban — has repeatedly failed to pass the state Legislature.
—Jon Schuppe, NBC news, 18 Dec. 2025
Brandon Scott, Baltimore Sun, 25 Feb. 2026
Men are often the ones in those ICE facilities who are shackling and chaining detainees.
—Anna Moeslein, Glamour, 7 Feb. 2026
In Wisconsin, a bill that would restrict shackling inmates while in labor — something most states already ban — has repeatedly failed to pass the state Legislature.
—Jon Schuppe, NBC news, 18 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shackling
Verb
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Initiative, dubbed a ‘Swiss Brexit,’ sought binding limits by 2050, forcing strict curbs on asylum, family reunification and work permits, potentially dismantling Switzerland’s deal on free movement of people and close EU ties.—
Jamey Keaten,
Los Angeles Times,
15 June 2026
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The binding constraint is no longer intelligence.—
Robert J. Szczerba,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2026
Verb
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Winds of up to 50 mph stoked the flames and severely limited the fire response by hampering boat and aircraft access to the remote island.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 June 2026
-
The systematic dismantling of USAID has led to catastrophic humanitarian situations in Africa, including hampering the global response to the current Ebola outbreak.—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
10 June 2026
Verb
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South Korea and Mexico faced off in September ahead of the World Cup, tying 2-2 in Nashville.—
Eduard Cauich,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2026
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Mahomes was flushed right but managed to get off a deep pass across his body to Hill for a 48-yard completion that set up the game-tying touchdown.—
Blair Kerkhoff,
Kansas City Star,
17 June 2026
Verb
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Protests outside the gates have shown activists pummeling cars, impeding the exits and in some cases getting hurled out of the way after collisions with vehicles attempting to speed away from the violent activists.—
Eric Mack,
FOXNews.com,
8 June 2026
-
Over the years, the number of cars parking near the bridge — often illegally, sometimes impeding emergency vehicles — has risen.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
Verb
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The 14-second-long video posted on TikTok on Tuesday shows officers, including ICE agents, handcuffing and arresting people.—
Sam Peters,
CNN Money,
12 June 2026
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However, video footage captured at the event and obtained by The Star seems to show officers pinning teens to the ground, handcuffing at least one.—
Ilana Arougheti
June 10,
Kansas City Star,
10 June 2026
Verb
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This forced its social life underground, hindering community building.—
Peter Su,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
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So the rule is hindering governments' efforts to expand access to electricity and meet climate commitments under the Paris Agreement.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 June 2026
Verb
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Only one of the suspects was issued a citation for unlawfully capturing and confining wildlife, the news release said.—
Karen Garcia,
Los Angeles Times,
16 June 2026
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While the event has typically been held across all of Lakeview Park — one of Nampa’s largest public spaces — the city has adopted a new policy confining large events to the park’s northern side.—
Matan Josephy,
Idaho Statesman,
11 June 2026
Verb
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He was recaptured and indicted on a charge of obstructing a pending immigration proceeding.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
17 June 2026
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Victoriano pleaded guilty to obstructing arrest and received unsupervised probation.—
Shannon Tyler
June 17,
Idaho Statesman,
17 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shackling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shackling. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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