handcuffs 1 of 2

noun

Definition of handcuffsnext
plural of handcuff
as in bind
something that physically prevents free movement the man reluctantly held out his wrists so the policeman could snap on handcuffs

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handcuffs

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of handcuff
1
as in binds
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in hampers
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for handcuffs
  1. bind
  2. binds
  3. chain
  4. impedes
  5. bond
  6. curb
  7. shackle
Noun
  • Sensing the Heat is in a bind, other teams have presented Miami with unappealing offers.
    Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 7 Jan. 2025
  • The city put itself in a bind by increasing rank-and-file police officer wages without providing comparable increases to supervisory ranks, Vallelong said.
    Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 7 Jan. 2025
Definition of bind
Verb
  • Specifically, researchers could use AI models to determine how specifically and potently the drug binds to known and unknown targets, the level of these targets in the body, how concentrated the drug becomes in healthy and diseased tissues, and the drug’s structural properties.
    Christian Macedonia, The Conversation, 3 Jan. 2025
  • The carbon monoxide in smoke binds to the hemoglobin in your red blood cells, displacing oxygen, so your heart and brain get less oxygen.
    Ann Pietrangelo, Verywell Health, 2 Jan. 2025
Definition of binds
Noun
  • Delgado’s death sets off a chain of events in the episodes that follow.
    Ryan Schwartz, TVLine, 9 Jan. 2025
  • Debenhams, once a national department store chain, is now an online-only business, while the number of House of Fraser stores has nearly halved since retailer Mike Ashley took over the franchise.
    Samantha Conti, WWD, 9 Jan. 2025
Definition of chain
Verb
  • Nothing ever impedes Andrew’s upgrade to human status.
    Kirk Honeycutt, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Dec. 2024
  • Unfortunately, this impedes the creative process and results in an uneven end product.
    Jerry Weissman, Forbes, 22 Nov. 2024
Definition of impedes
Noun
  • This proposal would allow the FAIR Plan to use loans, bonds or lines of credit to help cover the initial cost, which would allow companies more time to help cover the claims.
    Stephen Hobbs, Sacramento Bee, 16 Jan. 2025
  • Unlike most cats, who tend to avoid water at all costs, Claudia's feline seems to have a special bond with bath time.
    Michael Gfoeller And David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 16 Jan. 2025
Definition of bond
Noun
  • Pinero eventually lost control over the vehicle, jumping a curb, colliding with a concrete wall before striking a woman who was walking along the sidewalk, police said, according KSAT.
    Rhiannon Saegert, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Jan. 2025
  • But in the sobering morning light, Adam’s demeanor changes, kicking her to the curb.
    Courtney Howard, Variety, 16 Jan. 2025
Definition of curb
Noun
  • The shackle receiver slots into the RAV4’s hitch and provides a secure attachment point for the recovery rope.
    Bryan Rogala, Outside Online, 30 Dec. 2024
  • Four centuries ago, Tucker’s ancestors had been forced to leave the African land of their birth in shackles.
    Deborah Barfield Berry, USA TODAY, 26 Dec. 2024
Definition of shackle
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.

Thesaurus Entries Near handcuffs

handcuffing

handcuffs

hand down

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Cite this Entry

“Handcuffs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/handcuffs. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on handcuffs

Nglish: Translation of handcuffs for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of handcuffs for Arabic Speakers

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