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
Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 13 May 2026
According to the reports, prosecutors said Torbick was then heard screaming at Motykie to get off her and telling him not to put handcuffs on her.
—Liam Quinn, PEOPLE, 12 May 2026
Sam Mednick, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026
Victims were sometimes found handcuffed or bound.
—ABC News, 12 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for handcuff
Noun
Ortiz sat quietly in the courtroom Wednesday wearing an orange jail uniform and handcuffs.
—Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 13 May 2026
According to the reports, prosecutors said Torbick was then heard screaming at Motykie to get off her and telling him not to put handcuffs on her.
—Liam Quinn, PEOPLE, 12 May 2026
Verb
Victims were sometimes found handcuffed or bound.
—Sam Mednick, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026
Victims were sometimes found handcuffed or bound.
—ABC News, 12 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for handcuff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for handcuff
Noun
-
Analysts have tried to forecast how much academic carnage will result from this demographic bind.—
Jay Caspian Kang,
New Yorker,
19 May 2026
-
Policymakers are now in bind, caught between coercion from abroad and coercion generated at home.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
17 May 2026
Verb
-
Luukkonen made a few big saves in the second period to keep the score tied before Buffalo eventually took the lead.—
Matthew Fairburn,
New York Times,
17 May 2026
-
Jon Rahm and Rory McIlroy were among those tied at one point.—
Doug Ferguson,
Chicago Tribune,
17 May 2026
Verb
-
Goalkeeper Bernd Leno was the victim both times, impeded by Kevin Schade and then Igor Thiago.—
Anantaajith Raghuraman,
New York Times,
14 May 2026
-
In the Jazz Age, the culture and the style that Bradley was soaking up every night were information that white performers craved, but which racial segregation impeded them from accessing.—
Brian Seibert,
New Yorker,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
Kelce wore a charcoal-gray plaid suit paired with a black T-shirt and a chain necklace.—
Ingrid Vasquez,
PEOPLE,
17 May 2026
-
Inside was the set for Metro Designers, an outlet of Christie Smith’s clothing chain, which sells monochromatic clothes—one color per month.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
17 May 2026
Verb
-
Jeincic also rejected CalPERS claims that the now-defunct transparency bill supported by RPEA would have significantly hampered the fund.—
William Melhado,
Sacbee.com,
19 May 2026
-
Maintain a safe distance from large vehicles - Trucks or buses can produce a water spray that hampers visibility.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
19 May 2026
Verb
-
Similar artificial intelligence legislation had failed in previous years due to concerns from the governor’s office that regulations would hinder innovation in the state.—
P.R. Lockhart,
Hartford Courant,
17 May 2026
-
De-escalate the Crisis Narrative The word crisis is splashed across every headline regarding mental health, but Redding warns that overusing this term can actually hinder our ability to help.—
Julie Kratz,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2026
Noun
-
The strongest bond is the one that knows how to meet you clearly.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
14 May 2026
-
Lu remains free on bond until his sentencing, a date for which has not yet been set.—
John Annese,
New York Daily News,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
Mangione, 28, entered the courtroom Monday wearing a dark blazer with his hands shackled while a group of his supporters sat in the back of the courtroom.—
Nicki Brown,
CNN Money,
18 May 2026
-
Soon the refugee was shackled in the snow, hand bleeding, face bruised.—
Dan Barry,
New York Times,
12 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Handcuff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/handcuff. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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