as in bind
usually handcuffs plural
something that physically prevents free movement
the man reluctantly held out his wrists so the policeman could snap on handcuffs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in to bind
to confine or restrain with or as if with chains
wanted to take the trip, but was handcuffed by her responsibility to watch her ailing father
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to impede
to create difficulty for the work or activity of
the fear that the new mandatory, standardized tests will handcuff the state's teachers, who will have to specifically tailor their lesson plans for the test
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of handcuff
Erin Doherty, CNBC, 10 May 2025
On the chair, the struggle continues, with officers placing an anti-spit mask on Black and pushing his torso forward in an apparent effort to be able to remove the handcuffs and restrain his arms on the chair, the video shows.
—Joe Kottke, NBC news, 6 May 2025
Aicha El Hammar Castano, ABC News, 13 May 2025
The lawyer articulated a different retributive vision, one that corresponds to, say, dismantling federal agencies via deregulation, or rooting out dark money—not just handcuffing Trump’s enemies for the camera.
—Antonia Hitchens, New Yorker, 11 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for handcuff
Noun
Mayor Ras Baraka of Newark in handcuffs outside Delaney Hall detention facility in Newark, NJ on May 9, 2025.
—Erin Doherty, CNBC, 10 May 2025
On the chair, the struggle continues, with officers placing an anti-spit mask on Black and pushing his torso forward in an apparent effort to be able to remove the handcuffs and restrain his arms on the chair, the video shows.
—Joe Kottke, NBC news, 6 May 2025
Verb
The men were leading the hotel's concierge, who was handcuffed, Kardashian told the court.
—Aicha El Hammar Castano, ABC News, 13 May 2025
The lawyer articulated a different retributive vision, one that corresponds to, say, dismantling federal agencies via deregulation, or rooting out dark money—not just handcuffing Trump’s enemies for the camera.
—Antonia Hitchens, New Yorker, 11 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for handcuff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for handcuff
Noun
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Some frustrated residents say the bureaucratic bind is emblematic of long-standing discrimination.—
Stephanie Yang,
Los Angeles Times,
22 May 2025
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On Rikers, a thicket of laws and lore, regulations and culture bind and barnacle decision-making.—
Elizabeth Glazer,
New York Daily News,
18 May 2025
Verb
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The investment fund tied to the Qatari state has spent billions on the operations and players.—
Kurt Badenhausen,
Sportico.com,
31 May 2025
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Well, as referenced above, the United States was coming out of a nasty recession tied to the crisis in the mortgage market.—
Ken Roberts,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2025
Verb
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The Justice Department announced charges against McIver on May 19 for assaulting, impeding and interfering with law enforcement related to an altercation at a Newark immigration facility.—
Deborah Barfield Berry,
USA Today,
22 May 2025
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Representative LaMonica McIver has been charged with allegedly assaulting, resisting, and impeding law enforcement officers following an incident outside of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in New Jersey.—
Sophie Clark,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 May 2025
Noun
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Grads react as billionaire gives them $1,000: Watch video Yelp unveils its top 25 burger chains in the US: See the list Spotify reveals predictions for 30 top songs of summer 2025: See list Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY.—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
22 May 2025
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Likewise, in the same sector, Kaufland and Lidl, two supermarket chains, are owned by the same family under the tutelage of the Schwarz Group, each specializing in specific market segments.—
Radu Magdin,
Forbes.com,
21 May 2025
Verb
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Keep clear of puddles - Driving through puddles or low rainwater areas can cause vehicles to hydroplane or skid out of control Maintain a safe distance from large vehicles - Trucks or buses can produce a water spray that hampers visibility.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
29 May 2025
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Online shopping has been severely hampered at the retailer due to outages to its website that are expected to last into July.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
28 May 2025
Verb
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He has been charged with a collision involving damage to a vehicle and hindering apprehension, both misdemeanors.—
Peter D'Abrosca , Ashley Papa,
FOXNews.com,
31 May 2025
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However, incomplete knowledge of prolonged symptoms experienced after a young child’s own SARS-CoV-2 infection hinders prevention and treatment of LC in infants, toddlers, and preschool-aged children.—
Anuradha Varanasi,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2025
Verb
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They were shackled and chained, and footage of them was shared on X on April 4 by Michael W. Banks, chief of U.S. Border Patrol.—
Diaa Hadid,
NPR,
19 May 2025
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And then there are the images of the migrants deported to a notorious El Salvador prison, shackled one behind the other in prison garb, their heads bowed and shaven.—
Rebecca Plevin,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Apr. 2025
Verb
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McGregor dismantled Aldo during the pre-fight lead-up and subsequently embarrassed him in 13 seconds at UFC 194 in 2015.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
11 May 2025
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But Mei is convinced her overbearing mother only exists to embarrass while never understanding her struggles.—
Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal,
Parents,
8 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Handcuff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/handcuff. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
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