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
Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 21 May 2026
The cold metal handcuffs dug into my wrists.
—Abraham Jiménez Enoa, The Dial, 19 May 2026
Abraham Jiménez Enoa, The Dial, 19 May 2026
Cellphone video showed officers handcuffing and pressing him against an unmarked sedan, with his forehead bloodied.
—Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 16 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for handcuff
Noun
He was placed in handcuffs and taken away.
—Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 21 May 2026
The cold metal handcuffs dug into my wrists.
—Abraham Jiménez Enoa, The Dial, 19 May 2026
Verb
The enforcer handcuffed me and shoved me into the same car, again forcing my head between my knees.
—Abraham Jiménez Enoa, The Dial, 19 May 2026
Cellphone video showed officers handcuffing and pressing him against an unmarked sedan, with his forehead bloodied.
—Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 16 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for handcuff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for handcuff
Noun
-
Back then, the Dallas Mavericks were in a bind, their point guard slipping away.—
Fred Katz,
New York Times,
26 May 2026
-
Yet polls show the president has been leading Republicans into politically perilous territory with the broader electorate, and his demands of absolute loyalty could put GOP lawmakers in a bind as the midterm election approaches with many of the president’s policies proving unpopular.—
Zac Anderson,
USA Today,
20 May 2026
Verb
-
Often the jokes are tied to an upcoming holiday or event.—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 June 2026
-
Yeah Gluten Free, a bakery that specializes in gluten-free pastries, will host a pop-up inside the Atlanta Daily World Building in Atlanta’s Sweet Auburn neighborhood as part of an activation tied to the World Cup, according to a news release.—
Olivia Wakim,
AJC.com,
6 June 2026
Verb
-
This ruling sets a troubling precedent that undermines protections afforded to interstate commerce and impedes site remediation, as well as the safe and effective long-term management of these materials for customers in Michigan and throughout the country.—
Heath Kalb,
CBS News,
28 May 2026
-
His attempts to impede the certification of the 2020 election led to him being charged with obstruction of an official proceeding, alongside hundreds of January 6th rioters.—
Antonia Hitchens,
New Yorker,
28 May 2026
Noun
-
In Manatí, near a chain of Taíno caves and the Tortuguero Nature Reserve (the island’s only natural lagoon), Efrén David Robles is expanding the idea of what Puerto Rico offers beyond San Juan’s beaches and El Yunque National Forest.—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 June 2026
-
While HomeGoods is primarily known for its affordable, on-trend selection of furniture, decorative accents, kitchenware, and more, the chain retailer also boasts an incredible selection of delicious snacks that come from all across the globe.—
Sarah Lyon,
Southern Living,
6 June 2026
Verb
-
Roupp’s night, though, comes with a caveat because the righty was hampered by back discomfort.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
2 June 2026
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Reducing false positives and negatives Real-world conditions such as poor lighting, difficult viewing angles, extreme facial expressions, concealment by face masks or sunglasses, and poor image quality can still hamper performance, leading to faulty identification.—
Vijayan Asari,
The Conversation,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
Undeterred, the siblings set off on a perilous journey, helped and hindered by both natural and supernatural elements along the way.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 June 2026
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Last year, probation officials began requiring CLERB to seek court approval before obtaining records in cases involving juveniles — a process former CLERB officials and advocates described as hindering meaningful oversight.—
Kelly Davis,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
31 May 2026
Noun
-
The mature crowd is a mix of Parisians and tourists speaking various languages; their common bond being a love of liquor mixed by the best of the best.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
4 June 2026
-
Pasqual, 36, was first arrested for domestic violence on May 18, 2024, and was later released on $50,000 bond, according to People magazine.—
Tracy Wright,
FOXNews.com,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
According to the lawsuit, four days after ZOR arrived at the facility, ICE officers shackled him and drove him to the Mexican border.—
Mateo Rosiles,
USA Today,
1 June 2026
-
Written by Evan Cooper, the film finds five convicts trying to escape through the mountains following a violent train robbery, while shackled together by foot.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
26 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Handcuff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/handcuff. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
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