as in obstacle
something that makes movement or progress difficult
students and parents who want to throw off the trammels of outdated school policies
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to bind
to confine or restrain with or as if with chains
years after his death, she was still trammeled by inconsolable grief for her deceased husband
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to impede
to create difficulty for the work or activity of
the new paperwork requirements will only trammel us and lower our productivity
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of trammel
Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2025
The moment comes right before America Ferrera’s big monologue about the trammels of womanhood, when Robbie soliloquizes, too, about the loss of her self-esteem.
—Wesley Morris, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2024
Step 2: Measure and Cut Cubby Dividers Use trammel points to mark a rounded edge (an arc with a 7-1/2-inch radius) on three 6-1/2 x 19-inch boards.
—Lucy Fitzgerald, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Feb. 2024
Join the top and drop leaf; then use a large trammel to mark the curved edge.
—Thomas Klenck, Popular Mechanics, 14 Aug. 2021
Literary Hub, 26 Nov. 2025
Children arrive into a trammeling grid of haves and have-nots set up long before their birth, a net that individual struggles serve only to tighten.
—Benjamin Kunkel, Harpers Magazine, 28 Mar. 2025
Diggs was trammeled by knee issues throughout 2023 as the 26-year-old was sidelined for 15 games after tearing his left ACL.
—Stephan Pechdimaldji, Newsweek, 14 Dec. 2024
The Founders gave an independent judiciary the responsibility of preventing the other branches from trammeling fundamental liberties of citizens.
—oregonlive, 23 Jan. 2020
The Patriots defense, which is on pace to break NFL records for most sacks and fewest points allowed, has trammeled and trampled opposing offenses, but the schedule keeps serving up red meat or raw quarterbacks for them to prey upon.
—BostonGlobe.com, 9 Oct. 2019
Now the area is brimming with new construction, and Ms. Medvedow, 63, is leading her institution into another less-trammeled area.
—New York Times, 22 June 2018
Those federal laws, along with state and local equivalents, provide broad and effective remedies for unequal pay without trammeling the hiring process.
—Gerald Skoning, WSJ, 12 Dec. 2017
When applied to armed protests, that mindset takes our country to a dangerous place: The Second Amendment and state open carry laws cannot trammel the free speech rights of unarmed protesters and the necessity for law enforcement to keep the peace.
—Olivia Li, Slate Magazine, 17 Oct. 2017
Noun
In the middle of the Mediterranean, off the coast of the island nation of Malta, a professional fisherman dropped his trammel net into the water.
—Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2025
The moment comes right before America Ferrera’s big monologue about the trammels of womanhood, when Robbie soliloquizes, too, about the loss of her self-esteem.
—Wesley Morris, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2024
Step 2: Measure and Cut Cubby Dividers Use trammel points to mark a rounded edge (an arc with a 7-1/2-inch radius) on three 6-1/2 x 19-inch boards.
—Lucy Fitzgerald, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Feb. 2024
Join the top and drop leaf; then use a large trammel to mark the curved edge.
—Thomas Klenck, Popular Mechanics, 14 Aug. 2021
Verb
The Constitution and the law are only more to be revered because they are being trammeled.
—Literary Hub, 26 Nov. 2025
Children arrive into a trammeling grid of haves and have-nots set up long before their birth, a net that individual struggles serve only to tighten.
—Benjamin Kunkel, Harpers Magazine, 28 Mar. 2025
Diggs was trammeled by knee issues throughout 2023 as the 26-year-old was sidelined for 15 games after tearing his left ACL.
—Stephan Pechdimaldji, Newsweek, 14 Dec. 2024
The Founders gave an independent judiciary the responsibility of preventing the other branches from trammeling fundamental liberties of citizens.
—oregonlive, 23 Jan. 2020
The Patriots defense, which is on pace to break NFL records for most sacks and fewest points allowed, has trammeled and trampled opposing offenses, but the schedule keeps serving up red meat or raw quarterbacks for them to prey upon.
—BostonGlobe.com, 9 Oct. 2019
Now the area is brimming with new construction, and Ms. Medvedow, 63, is leading her institution into another less-trammeled area.
—New York Times, 22 June 2018
Those federal laws, along with state and local equivalents, provide broad and effective remedies for unequal pay without trammeling the hiring process.
—Gerald Skoning, WSJ, 12 Dec. 2017
When applied to armed protests, that mindset takes our country to a dangerous place: The Second Amendment and state open carry laws cannot trammel the free speech rights of unarmed protesters and the necessity for law enforcement to keep the peace.
—Olivia Li, Slate Magazine, 17 Oct. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trammel
Noun
-
The system continuously maps nearby activity, such as detecting pedestrians, vehicles, and unexpected obstacles.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Apr. 2026
-
And that really is a huge obstacle for the Chinese now.—
Jamie Lincoln Kitman,
Rolling Stone,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
British monarchs are constitutionally bound to remain above politics, able only to represent the UK rather than speak for its government.—
Issy Ronald,
CNN Money,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Even if the rule is finalized, the EPA would still have to take more steps before Americans see binding legal changes.—
Justin Zorn,
STAT,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Critics, meanwhile, say the legislation would impede on First Amendment rights.—
Linh Tat,
Daily News,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Do not stop on the roadway or impede traffic.—
Devarrick Turner,
USA Today,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
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
-
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
-
Bregman wasn’t fazed by it, slugging a game-tying home run in the eighth inning Friday for his first marquee moment in a Cubs uniform.—
Meghan Montemurro,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Up next The Hawks head to Madison Square Garden on Tuesday for Game 5 with the series tied 2-2.—
Lauren Williams,
AJC.com,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Rams boss Les Snead and Chiefs leadership tandem Andy Reid and Brett Veach don’t seem hindered by obstacles either, despite later draft slots and paying future Hall of Fame quarterbacks.—
Tim Graham,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Store them in one layer to avoid crushing, and keep them in cool, dry conditions in the fridge to hinder mold growth.—
Kait Hanson,
Southern Living,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
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
-
This vining plant is almost too easy to grow, so it's best confined within a container.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Juan used to be confined to a different room in the facility that had a frosted window with a small patch scratched out at the bottom, just big enough for his eye to peek through.—
Elizabeth Hernandez,
Denver Post,
26 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Trammel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trammel. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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