shackle 1 of 2

shackle

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb shackle contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of shackle are clog, fetter, hamper, manacle, and trammel. While all these words mean "to hinder or impede in moving, progressing, or acting," shackle and manacle are stronger than fetter and suggest total loss of freedom.

a mind shackled by stubborn prejudice
a people manacled by tyranny

When is it sensible to use clog instead of shackle?

Although the words clog and shackle have much in common, clog usually implies a slowing by something extraneous or encumbering.

a court system clogged by frivolous suits

When is fetter a more appropriate choice than shackle?

The meanings of fetter and shackle largely overlap; however, fetter suggests a restraining so severe that freedom to move or progress is almost lost.

a nation fettered by an antiquated class system

When might hamper be a better fit than shackle?

While in some cases nearly identical to shackle, hamper may imply the effect of any impeding or restraining influence.

hampered the investigation by refusing to cooperate

When would trammel be a good substitute for shackle?

While the synonyms trammel and shackle are close in meaning, trammel suggests entangling by or confining within a net.

rules that trammel the artist's creativity

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of shackle
Noun
When he was transferred to and from the hospital, he was handcuffed and kept in leg shackles and then moved to a different room, Nice said. Ben Adler, USA Today, 7 June 2025 Then Renée and her brilliant team came up with this, and Blake added all these shackles and stuff to it. Benjamin Vanhoose, People.com, 30 Apr. 2025
Verb
At a hearing on Thursday, Hipolito walked into court, limping and shackled in the same clothes he had been arrested in. Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 27 June 2025 Abrego Garcia, who was shackled and wearing a red jumpsuit, was expected to be released Wednesday, if only into ICE custody. Travis Loller, Fortune, 26 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for shackle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shackle
Noun
  • Coherent dialogues flow naturally, which can only be observed across a chain of exchanges.
    Tarush Agarwal, Forbes.com, 8 July 2025
  • Amazon’s past success with using Prime Day to drive sales and attract new members spurred other major retail chains to schedule competing sales in July.
    Anne D'Innocenzio, Chicago Tribune, 8 July 2025
Noun
  • Our parade in Fort Lauderdale was a fitting tribute to a great hockey team, while Trump’s embarrassment of a parade was a fitting tribute to a failed presidency.
    Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 30 June 2025
  • Indeed, President Trump will probably never appeal his executive order losses in lower courts to avoid the embarrassment of losing in the Supreme Court populated with three Trump appointees.
    Bruce Fein, Baltimore Sun, 30 June 2025
Verb
  • There, you’re bound to find small and large treasures that will make a big impact on your cooking space.
    Nicole Letts, Southern Living, 6 July 2025
  • She'd been bound and raped before she was wrapped in trash bags and put in the trash can.
    Kirsten Fiscus, The Tennessean, 6 July 2025
Verb
  • This extensive list of options ensures your absence doesn’t hinder your ability to accrue and use your FSA benefits, reflecting a broader understanding of how adaptable life situations and financial planning must be.
    Johnny C. Taylor Jr, USA Today, 2 July 2025
  • In addition to drying out the atmosphere, the dust also increases wind shear and atmospheric stability — two other key factors that can hinder storm formation.
    Brandi D. Addison, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
Noun
  • The biggest novelty is an articulated bracelet shaped like a toothbrush wrapped around the wrist, bristles akimbo as if already used.
    Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 4 July 2025
  • Taylor Swift friendship bracelets When Taylor Swift brought her record-breaking Eras Tour to Indianapolis for three nights in November, the dinosaurs were ready to party in style with their very own friendship bracelets.
    Katie Wiseman, IndyStar, 2 July 2025
Noun
  • The branches of the military, which maintain their own communication networks, have their own obstacles.
    Dexter Filkins, New Yorker, 14 July 2025
  • For Superman, that means preventing any of the negatives that do initially arise from becoming obstacles or bandwagon narratives in the press.
    Mark Hughes, Forbes.com, 12 July 2025
Verb
  • Joining him was David Lipsky, who made a clutch eagle on the par-5 17th to tie Grillo and Campbell at 18-under, but a costly bogey on 18 kept him out of the playoff.
    Savannah Leigh Richardson, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 July 2025
  • Given that the government generally does not do great things with its money, tying its spending priorities to debt service is probably a positive.
    Brian Domitrovic, Forbes.com, 6 July 2025
Verb
  • Will this impede efforts to advance gender equality, especially in technology sectors?
    Lauren Buitta, Forbes.com, 8 July 2025
  • But some of the worst economic effects will be felt by future generations, who, according to one Gen Zer interviewed by CNBC, are already concerned the deficit will impede their ability to collect social services.
    Leslie Picker, CNBC, 7 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Shackle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shackle. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.

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