as in helpless
unable to act or achieve one's purpose
prosecutors were hog-tied as the convicted felon was freed on a technicality
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in hampered
to create difficulty for the work or activity of
their principals' inflexible demands virtually hog-tied the diplomats' efforts to negotiate a peace treaty
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hog-tied
Matt Cabral, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Jan. 2026
Well, for one, the go-to induction method is being roused from your bed in the middle of the night, hog-tied, and tossed in a van.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 9 Sep. 2025
Verb
Most damning of all is that her body was found hog-tied in a conspicuously similar fashion as Reynolds’ previous presumptive victim, Bunny Davis.
—Matt Cabral, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Jan. 2026
Well, for one, the go-to induction method is being roused from your bed in the middle of the night, hog-tied, and tossed in a van.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 9 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hog-tied
Adjective
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Both Tony and Dick are helpless children of the American Dream — one borne of the system, the other the boss’s literal son, each at the mercy of forces far greater than himself.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
5 Feb. 2026
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Footage then showed McCray carrying her, helpless and disoriented, to a laundry room on Connecticut Street.—
Angie DiMichele,
Sun Sentinel,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Democratic lawmakers condemn Maxwell’s plea Democrats in the House Oversight Committee denounced Maxwell’s request for a presidential pardon and suggested that Trump’s refusal to rule out such a possibility has hampered the committee’s inquiry.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
10 Feb. 2026
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As has been the case many a time during the season, giveaways hampered Golden State for much of the night.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Parents reorganizing their lives around a paralyzed son made complete sense to me.—
Coley Gallagher,
The Orlando Sentinel,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Cuba’s sugar industry is nearly paralyzed because there is no diesel for the tractors and trucks needed to harvest and transport cane to the mills.—
Andres Oppenheimer,
Miami Herald,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The ministry posted a statement in Spanish on X saying Consulate officials immediately impeded the agents from entering the consulate’s premises, protecting Ecuadorian nationals who were inside the building.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
28 Jan. 2026
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The film follows numerous women, including a journalist, who were impeded in their search for justice thanks to nine-figure defamation suits.—
Matt Donnelly,
Variety,
24 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Bangladesh’s woes have not improved much since Hasina’s ouster, with high inflation and a weak taka currency combining to erode real incomes for ordinary households.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Pinterest posted disappointing fourth-quarter results and gave weak guidance for first-quarter sales.—
Liz Napolitano,Darla Mercado, CFP®,
CNBC,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The lengthy cord, which is six feet in total, ensures your productivity will never be hindered by a low battery.—
Kelsey Borovinsky,
Architectural Digest,
9 Feb. 2026
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Whereas Apollo space suits were akin to wearing an inflated balloon that greatly hindered motion, the AxEMU is designed with flexible joints that give astronauts mobility to kneel, jog or even do the splits.—
K. R. Callaway,
Scientific American,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Their votes sunk Belichick’s chances and embarrassed the Hall of Fame in the process.—
Rob Maaddi,
Twin Cities,
28 Jan. 2026
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However, the Yankees' title drought reached 16 seasons after getting embarrassed by the Toronto Blue Jays in the American League Division Series, and calls for change were louder than ever.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Under her watch, Americans have been murdered in cold blood, DHS has obstructed lawful congressional oversight, dismissed credible reports of abuse, carried out an extreme agenda that tears families apart and destabilizes communities.—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
5 Feb. 2026
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David Schenker, senior fellow at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, testified that while Hezbollah has been weakened militarily, the pace of disarmament remains slow and obstructed.—
Efrat Lachter,
FOXNews.com,
3 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hog-tied.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hog-tied. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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