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
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of handcuff
Nicole Acosta, People.com, 4 Nov. 2024
Richardson put handcuffs on the 11-year-old and locked him in the back of the patrol car.
—Aliyya Swaby, ProPublica, 30 Oct. 2024
Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 20 Sep. 2024
Neither brother was arrested at the time of the incident, but Williams was briefly handcuffed and detained.
—Andrea May Sahouri, Detroit Free Press, 30 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for handcuff 
Noun
Police-body camera footage obtained by the outlet shows officers forcing Tyson to the ground and putting him in handcuffs, with his hands behind his back.
—Nicole Acosta, People.com, 4 Nov. 2024
Richardson put handcuffs on the 11-year-old and locked him in the back of the patrol car.
—Aliyya Swaby, ProPublica, 30 Oct. 2024
Verb
Ross was handcuffed in his second year when Hoyer took over for Epstein and executed a sell-off of stars, starting the rebuild that wasn’t labeled a rebuild.
—Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 20 Sep. 2024
Neither brother was arrested at the time of the incident, but Williams was briefly handcuffed and detained.
—Andrea May Sahouri, Detroit Free Press, 30 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for handcuff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for handcuff
Noun
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Content publishers, on the other hand, may be in a bigger bind.Ina Fried, Axios, 1 Nov. 2024
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Germany’s automakers, however, are in a more serious bind: people are losing interest in their cars.BYRyan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 23 Oct. 2024
Verb
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Another third of respondents said success was tied more to physical well-being and free time.Tori Latham, Robb Report, 23 Nov. 2024
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The small-scale homes have become trendy over the years, with people of all ages opting to either downsize their current home for something more compact or purchase a home without being tied down to a mortgage and high interest rates.Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 22 Nov. 2024
Verb
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He was arrested in Savannah and is charged with felony counts of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers, and obstruction of law enforcement, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Washington, D.C., said in a statement.Phil Helsel, NBC News, 15 Nov. 2024
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Prosecutors were accusing Bundy of possessing firearms in a federal facility and of conspiring to impede federal officers.Matt Thompson, SPIN, 5 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Their cutbacks on spending forced a reckoning among restaurants, with fast-food brands like McDonald’s leaning into value menus and full-service chains like Red Lobster embarking on ambitious makeovers.Elizabeth Robinson, NBC News, 14 Nov. 2024
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Taco Bell has been proactive in using social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram (META) to engage with users, and the Tex-Mex chain has even gone so far as to let customers vote through the Taco Bell app on which menu items should make a comeback.Francisco Velasquez, Quartz, 8 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Officials aim to finalize the agreement by 2026, but disputes over binding commitments have hampered talks.Amir Daftari, Newsweek, 20 Nov. 2024
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Production was also hampered during the writers’ and actors’ strikes last year, further delaying Season 3.Nardine Saad, Los Angeles Times, 20 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Personalizing their partner’s emotional reactions and seeing them as intentional attacks can hinder their ability to provide support.Mark Travers, Forbes, 22 Nov. 2024
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Sleep can also promote or hinder your effort to lose weight.12 What Is Sleep Apnea?Joy Emeh, Health, 21 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Europe, by contrast, lags behind, shackled by red tape and an over-cautious approach to investing in new technologies.Frank Holmes, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
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Nearly a dozen federal agents were present for those hearings, in a courtroom that was packed with friends and relatives of the defendants, who all appeared in street clothes and shackled at the ankles.Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 25 Oct. 2024
Verb
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A number of studies have concluded that time on platforms like TikTok can lead to anxiety, depression and low self-esteem as kids get harassed or embarrassed online and compare their lives with the polished and carefully curated narratives crafted by others.Leslie Katz, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
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The flashback also goes to establish a new-to-us enemy, Detective Bishop, played by Mindhunter’s Holt McCallany, whom Haller embarrasses during a pivotal cross examination.Carita Rizzo, TVLine, 17 Oct. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near handcuff
Cite this Entry
“Handcuff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/handcuff. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.
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