as in helpless
unable to act or achieve one's purpose
handcuffed by a dearth of funding, the preservation society can do little but stand by as these historic structures deteriorate
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in bound
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 hampered
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of handcuffed
James Grebey, Time, 12 Sep. 2025
Kluwe later went to the front of the meeting, and police handcuffed him and led him out.
—Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 12 Sep. 2025
Multiple deputies responded to the disturbance and handcuffed Adair.
—Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 11 Sep. 2025
Photos showed workers being handcuffed and shackled before being loaded onto buses.
—Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 9 Sep. 2025
The workers may be shackled or handcuffed, and torture is not uncommon.
—Christine Ro, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
The 6-year-old shared similar accounts, telling officers her mom handcuffed her after she was caught eating in a bathroom, according to KSAT.
—Mike Stunson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Sep. 2025
Three men rushed Tomas, tased him, pinned him to the ground, handcuffed him, and then hit him continuously in the head and in the back and in the kidneys.
—Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
Moises called up footage showing the California senator Alex Padilla being thrown to the floor and handcuffed by federal agents during a government press conference about the military’s presence.
—Jonathan Blitzer, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
Verb
With Gerald's Game, the first of the three, the catch was that the 1992 novel really only has one character, Jessie, a woman handcuffed to a bed after a bedroom activity goes wrong and her husband has a heart attack.
—James Grebey, Time, 12 Sep. 2025
Kluwe later went to the front of the meeting, and police handcuffed him and led him out.
—Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 12 Sep. 2025
Multiple deputies responded to the disturbance and handcuffed Adair.
—Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 11 Sep. 2025
Photos showed workers being handcuffed and shackled before being loaded onto buses.
—Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 9 Sep. 2025
The workers may be shackled or handcuffed, and torture is not uncommon.
—Christine Ro, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
The 6-year-old shared similar accounts, telling officers her mom handcuffed her after she was caught eating in a bathroom, according to KSAT.
—Mike Stunson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Sep. 2025
Three men rushed Tomas, tased him, pinned him to the ground, handcuffed him, and then hit him continuously in the head and in the back and in the kidneys.
—Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
Moises called up footage showing the California senator Alex Padilla being thrown to the floor and handcuffed by federal agents during a government press conference about the military’s presence.
—Jonathan Blitzer, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for handcuffed
Adjective
-
And wasn’t the world hard enough, without having to care for helpless children too?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 Sep. 2025
-
In the midst of feeling helpless, Kate said an idea took shape to commemorate the victims.—
Matthew Adams,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Elephants moved silently in the distance, and a herd of impala bounded across the plain, skittish but unconcerned with us.—
Daniel Scheffler,
Forbes.com,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Chip, the 3-year-old miniature dachshund, was filmed bounding toward the open door but immediately reconsidering after inspecting the dreary conditions outside his home in England.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The investigation has been hampered by peculiar challenges, though, perhaps none greater than the fact that the entire city in which the crime occurred has vanished.—
Denver Nicks,
Rolling Stone,
14 Sep. 2025
-
Dry conditions have hampered quail reproduction across parts of Arizona, leading to concerns about future populations.—
Brandon Loomis,
AZCentral.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
While many workers consider job changes, those who approach transitions strategically have a significant advantage over those who act impulsively or remain paralyzed by uncertainty.—
Caroline Castrillon,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Her son was left paralyzed from the mid-chest down, had to have his left leg amputated at the knee and two thirds of his bowel removed — and almost a month later, is still in the hospital, where he is intubated and fighting an infection.—
Janelle Griffith,
PEOPLE,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Musk and Tesla’s fans on Wall Street stress that the future value of company is tied to its self-driving technology and robotaxi plans.—
Chris Isidore,
CNN Money,
15 Sep. 2025
-
For the time being, Dragon and Cygnus cargo missions are each tied to the success of the Falcon 9.—
Stephen Clark,
ArsTechnica,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The implementation of the SCORE Act could be impeded by other types of legal challenges.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Additionally, debris removal took place, including significant debris that impeded roadways and public spaces, and damage occurred to water control facilities, utilities and parks and recreation facilities.—
Cathy Kozlowicz,
jsonline.com,
28 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The ultrarich formula uses amino acids to reinforce weak strands, glycerin to hydrate and soften, silicones to smooth the cuticle, and coconut oil to add more moisture and shine.—
Sophia Panych,
Allure,
16 Sep. 2025
-
China’s economy showed further signs of weakness last month, with key data Monday revealing factory output and consumption rising at their weakest pace for around a year.—
Nino Paoli,
Fortune,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
More Associated Press What To Know Until this week, Routh has appeared at hearings shackled at the wrists and ankles and dressed in a tan jail jumpsuit.—
Dan Gooding
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Mission Viejo shackled the Folsom running game, holding the Bulldogs to 24 rushing yards on 32 carries.—
Steve Fryer,
Oc Register,
10 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Handcuffed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/handcuffed. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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