1
as in restriction
something that limits one's freedom of action or choice
a time-honored tradition is fine as long as it doesn't become a fetter that prevents us from trying something new
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in obstacle
something that makes movement or progress difficult
claims that government regulations are unnecessary fetters that keep him from achieving his business goals
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in chain
something that physically prevents free movement
considered a seat belt a pointless fetter—until one saved his life in an auto accident
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in to bind
to confine or restrain with or as if with chains
museum artifacts that serve as somber reminders of the days when slaves were fettered with irons
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to impede
to create difficulty for the work or activity of
the belief that too many rules and restrictions fetter children's creativity
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 fetter
Peter D. Feaver, Foreign Affairs, 6 Nov. 2024
Rumors circulated before the killing of Khashoggi that King Salman was concerned enough to consider putting some fetters on his heir.
—Daniel Benjamin, Foreign Affairs, 18 Oct. 2018
The solution to this question can be reached not by deifying the nation, but on the contrary by completely liberating productive forces from the fetters imposed upon them by the national state.
—Foreign Affairs, 18 Dec. 2011
One man even contrived somehow to get across while still in iron fetters.
—Adam Goodheart, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 Sep. 2023
Its stage is where King Kong broke his fetters in the 1933 movie.
—Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2023
And then there’s the New Deal, another famous attempt to slap fetters on the rough beast of capitalism.
—Jonah Goldberg, National Review, 22 Nov. 2019
This early recording is unique—brisk and pugnacious, a stormy, bitter Schubert raging against his earthly fetters and then distilling his passions, in the last movement, into headlong lunges, dazzling whirls, and delicate pirouettes.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2020
Like the shrimp and grits, the fetter papa burger ($15) is appropriately decadent.
—Lindsey McClave, The Courier-Journal, 28 Aug. 2019
John D. Witiak, Baltimore Sun, 6 July 2024
Ruskin felt insulted and legally fettered by the verdict.
—Adrian Dannatt, New York Times, 6 Dec. 2023
Certain wandered between rows of mannequins fettered with leg irons, claustrophobic dungeon cells and a towering guillotine.
—Jeremy Redmon, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 Oct. 2023
After the beating, he was fettered in iron chains around his ankles, which would rub his skin raw.
—Darcel Rockett, Chicago Tribune, 12 Sep. 2023
Teddy Roosevelt broke up the trusts, regulated the food supply, created the National Park System, and fettered the railroads.
—Jonah Goldberg, National Review, 22 Nov. 2019
Botany was also often fettered to expertise in gardening, another activity that fell within the realm of the feminine.
—Amandas Ong, The Atlantic, 17 Apr. 2018
In many developing countries, girls face two starkly divergent paths: one fettered by gender inequality and cut short by early childbearing and the other offering personal fulfillment and economic improvement that benefit families and nations.
—Howard Lafranchi, The Christian Science Monitor, 15 Apr. 2018
While your job is to enforce the consistency that stylebooks aim for, you must not be fettered by it.
—John E. McIntyre, baltimoresun.com, 25 Aug. 2017
Noun
But Trump famously wriggles free from such fetters and resists being hemmed in.
—Peter D. Feaver, Foreign Affairs, 6 Nov. 2024
Rumors circulated before the killing of Khashoggi that King Salman was concerned enough to consider putting some fetters on his heir.
—Daniel Benjamin, Foreign Affairs, 18 Oct. 2018
The solution to this question can be reached not by deifying the nation, but on the contrary by completely liberating productive forces from the fetters imposed upon them by the national state.
—Foreign Affairs, 18 Dec. 2011
One man even contrived somehow to get across while still in iron fetters.
—Adam Goodheart, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 Sep. 2023
Its stage is where King Kong broke his fetters in the 1933 movie.
—Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2023
And then there’s the New Deal, another famous attempt to slap fetters on the rough beast of capitalism.
—Jonah Goldberg, National Review, 22 Nov. 2019
This early recording is unique—brisk and pugnacious, a stormy, bitter Schubert raging against his earthly fetters and then distilling his passions, in the last movement, into headlong lunges, dazzling whirls, and delicate pirouettes.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2020
Like the shrimp and grits, the fetter papa burger ($15) is appropriately decadent.
—Lindsey McClave, The Courier-Journal, 28 Aug. 2019
Verb
Our vote, secret and simple, not fettered by any AI or the eyes of an authoritarian who threatens those who disagree with him, ensures that our union endures.
—John D. Witiak, Baltimore Sun, 6 July 2024
Ruskin felt insulted and legally fettered by the verdict.
—Adrian Dannatt, New York Times, 6 Dec. 2023
Certain wandered between rows of mannequins fettered with leg irons, claustrophobic dungeon cells and a towering guillotine.
—Jeremy Redmon, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 Oct. 2023
After the beating, he was fettered in iron chains around his ankles, which would rub his skin raw.
—Darcel Rockett, Chicago Tribune, 12 Sep. 2023
Teddy Roosevelt broke up the trusts, regulated the food supply, created the National Park System, and fettered the railroads.
—Jonah Goldberg, National Review, 22 Nov. 2019
Botany was also often fettered to expertise in gardening, another activity that fell within the realm of the feminine.
—Amandas Ong, The Atlantic, 17 Apr. 2018
In many developing countries, girls face two starkly divergent paths: one fettered by gender inequality and cut short by early childbearing and the other offering personal fulfillment and economic improvement that benefit families and nations.
—Howard Lafranchi, The Christian Science Monitor, 15 Apr. 2018
While your job is to enforce the consistency that stylebooks aim for, you must not be fettered by it.
—John E. McIntyre, baltimoresun.com, 25 Aug. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fetter
Noun
-
The Progressives believed that these restrictions would allow independent experts to carry out important specialized government duties successfully, based on the merits and free from political interference.—
Alden Abbott,
Forbes,
21 Mar. 2025
-
The Justice Department maintains that the restrictions established by Humphrey's Executor don't apply to today's FTC or other multimember regulatory bodies, given the power those agencies now wield.—
Andrea Hsu,
NPR,
21 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Rather than replace the free-for-all with a streamlined review process, restaurants seeking approval for new sheds hit delay after delay, bureaucratic obstacle after bureaucratic obstacle.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
30 Mar. 2025
-
Unlike clumsier species that struggle with obstacles, the black mamba leverages every surface with surgical precision, effectively turning the landscape into a series of launchpads.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
29 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Artificial Intelligence will soon take fast-food orders at 500 major chains including Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and KFC.—
Anthony Robledo,
USA TODAY,
22 Mar. 2025
-
The Cheesecake Factory menu gets a makeover The casual dining restaurant chain is ditching 13 menu items and replacing them with 20 new dishes and cocktails.—
Jade Walker,
CNN,
21 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
And even as experts point to overwhelming data on vaccine safety, the raw and immediate accounts — delivered straight to the movement’s followers — provide a narrative that public health officials, bound by evidence and constrained by institutional caution, struggle to counter.—
Brandy Zadrozny,
NBC News,
20 Mar. 2025
-
The winner’s persistence and integrity, bound by the twin spirits of independence and collaboration, stoke the creative ambitions of diverse people who have important stories to tell.—
Jennifer Maas,
Variety,
20 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Whereas, for example, if AI is part of a feature set, one component faulting does not necessarily cause the user to feel their tasks have been impeded.—
Agur Jõgi,
Forbes,
21 Mar. 2025
-
Britain’s youth are grappling with worse mental health now than 10 years ago, pushing more of them out of employment than their middle-aged peers and impeding their career growth.—
BYPrarthana Prakash,
Fortune Europe,
21 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Meanwhile, frontline institutions are facing severe resource constraints: The World Food Programme is facing an $8.1 billion shortfall leading to the closure of its Southern Africa office, and slashed rations for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh.—
Daphne Ewing-Chow,
Forbes.com,
29 Mar. 2025
-
That’s partly due to the constraints of the U.S. health care system.—
Eleanor Rivera,
The Conversation,
28 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
This is a hurdle that can only be overcome with time and education for customers.—
Manish Mittal,
Forbes.com,
26 Mar. 2025
-
The biggest hurdle to employee retention is low salaries.—
Daniel R. Depetris,
Newsweek,
25 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Tristan Fraser tied the game, beating BU goalie Mikhail Yegorov a mere 59 seconds in.—
Staff report,
Hartford Courant,
20 Mar. 2025
-
The first wave of deadly overdoses were tied to OxyContin and other prescription drugs, and subsequent waves have involved first heroin and more recently illicit versions of fentanyl.—
arkansasonline.com,
arkansasonline.com,
20 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fetter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fetter. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share