variants
also straightjackets
as in handcuffs
a jacket that has long arms which can be tied together behind someone's back and that is used to control the movement (as of a violent prisoner or patient)
The magician struggled to free his arms from the straitjacket and escape from the tank of water he was submerged in.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of straitjackets
In any other administration, straitjackets would be the mandatory dress code.
—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
21 Apr. 2026
Known for its aggressive high-top design, the Air Max2 CB 94’s key features include elastic straps on the tongue said to be inspired by straightjackets, a nod to Barkley’s volatile reputation in the ‘90s.
—
Riley Jones,
Footwear News,
26 Nov. 2025
Some plaintiffs allege they were restrained in straitjackets for as long as 16 hours.
—
Robert Alexander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Sep. 2025
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
21 Apr. 2026
Known for its aggressive high-top design, the Air Max2 CB 94’s key features include elastic straps on the tongue said to be inspired by straightjackets, a nod to Barkley’s volatile reputation in the ‘90s.
—
Riley Jones,
Footwear News,
26 Nov. 2025
Some plaintiffs allege they were restrained in straitjackets for as long as 16 hours.
—
Robert Alexander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for straitjackets
Noun
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Once outside, paramedics determined that Martin had stopped breathing, removed his handcuffs and began CPR.
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The suspect was then placed in handcuffs and taken into custody.
Noun
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Lotte Shopping revealed in a corporate filing on Wednesday that the memorandum of understanding signed with Megabox parent company Contentree JoongAng to merge the two chains was terminated on June 30.
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The planned merger of Lotte Cinema and Megabox, South Korea’s second- and third-largest multiplex chains, has collapsed, ending a 14-month attempt to combine the two companies into the country’s biggest theatrical exhibitor.
Noun
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Throughout these pages, Hutchinson expresses a deep love of prose, of its grand possibilities and subtle confinements.
Cite this Entry
“Straitjackets.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/straitjackets. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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