1
as in binding
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in impeding
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 handcuffing
After handcuffing Woods, authorities searched his pockets and found two white pills.
—
R.j. Rico, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2026
Common Knowledge The right’s first instinct after the ruling was to treat it as another case of judges handcuffing a president who was trying to act decisively in the national interest.
—Newsweek Editors, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
While the juvenile was on his stomach, Officer Dugan allegedly used his espantoon on the back of the juvenile's neck, before handcuffing him and placing him in the patrol car.
—Adam Thompson, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026
That means there’s no constitutional precedent for handcuffing the commander in chief as congressional Democrats demand.
—Betsy McCaughey, Boston Herald, 9 Mar. 2026
For Jones, doing his part meant observing, which led to at least four officers jumping on his back, handcuffing him, crushing his legs, and grinding his forehead into the frozen concrete.
—Evan Minsker, Rolling Stone, 7 Feb. 2026
The officer around the man's neck then moves his hands to assist the other two officers in handcuffing the man, and replaces his hands with his knee on the man's head and neck.
—Hayley Walker, NBC news, 14 Jan. 2026
Video from Ford Fischer with News2Share showed agents roughly handcuffing the man with his face on the pavement, and carrying him away as people in the area yelled, honked and blew whistles.
—Mara H. Gottfried, Twin Cities, 12 Jan. 2026
The clip posted by the White House begins with footage of a protest against ICE operations before cutting to a montage of agents handcuffing and detaining people.
—Luke Fountain, CNBC, 2 Dec. 2025
R.j. Rico, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2026
Common Knowledge The right’s first instinct after the ruling was to treat it as another case of judges handcuffing a president who was trying to act decisively in the national interest.
—Newsweek Editors, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
While the juvenile was on his stomach, Officer Dugan allegedly used his espantoon on the back of the juvenile's neck, before handcuffing him and placing him in the patrol car.
—Adam Thompson, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026
That means there’s no constitutional precedent for handcuffing the commander in chief as congressional Democrats demand.
—Betsy McCaughey, Boston Herald, 9 Mar. 2026
For Jones, doing his part meant observing, which led to at least four officers jumping on his back, handcuffing him, crushing his legs, and grinding his forehead into the frozen concrete.
—Evan Minsker, Rolling Stone, 7 Feb. 2026
The officer around the man's neck then moves his hands to assist the other two officers in handcuffing the man, and replaces his hands with his knee on the man's head and neck.
—Hayley Walker, NBC news, 14 Jan. 2026
Video from Ford Fischer with News2Share showed agents roughly handcuffing the man with his face on the pavement, and carrying him away as people in the area yelled, honked and blew whistles.
—Mara H. Gottfried, Twin Cities, 12 Jan. 2026
The clip posted by the White House begins with footage of a protest against ICE operations before cutting to a montage of agents handcuffing and detaining people.
—Luke Fountain, CNBC, 2 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for handcuffing
Verb
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If management was unwilling to accept the latest offer or negotiate based on it, the WGSU suggested that the dispute could be submitted for binding arbitration at the California State Mediation and Conciliation Service or to the American Arbitration Association.—
Gene Maddaus,
Variety,
27 Mar. 2026
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That binding — along with effects similar to those of opioid drugs such as heroin, fentanyl or oxycodone — has led some experts and politicians to refer to kratom as an opioid.—
Kristen Rogers,
CNN Money,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Looking at downtown as a whole, the new building owners aren’t naive to obstacles impeding a recovery, with the Campus at Horton and Research and Development District (RaDD) properties viewed as the biggest drag on the market.—
Jennifer Van Grove,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Mar. 2026
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Our soft sides could be impeding what must be done today.—
Tarot.com,
Chicago Tribune,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Raygan Kirk made 28 saves, allowing only Fanuza Kadirova's tying goal late in the first period.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
2 Apr. 2026
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Because on a night the Celtics shot 21 of 44 on 3-pointers, the Heat countered at 24 of 47 from beyond the arc, tying the franchise record for 3-pointers.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The council chambers have only one entrance, hampering security and accessibility needs, and the council desk itself is not ADA-compliant.—
Elliot Mann,
Twin Cities,
29 Mar. 2026
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Some lawmakers think the staff reductions are hampering farmers’ ability to access programs.—
Patricia Kime,
USA Today,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
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From corrective eye surgery to confining plasma for nuclear fusion research and from entertainment to quickening checkout at supermarkets, lasers are now part of our everyday lives.—
Ameya Paleja,
Interesting Engineering,
30 Mar. 2026
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Certain signs, such as the recent decree by the municipal authorities of Damascus confining the sale of alcohol to Christian neighborhoods, are ominous.—
Alvaro Vargas Llosa,
Oc Register,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In 2026, an injury struck him, hindering his chances of potentially winning events.—
Matthew Couden,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
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The proposal reflects broader concerns Republicans have about regulation and permitting hindering economic development, as House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) explained during a speech at the Hill and Valley Forum on Wednesday.—
Rachel Schilke,
The Washington Examiner,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The Baltimore region has suffered too long from underinvestment in transit services — which is shackling economic growth, harming the environment and constraining quality of life for families.—
Brandon Scott,
Baltimore Sun,
25 Feb. 2026
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Men are often the ones in those ICE facilities who are shackling and chaining detainees.—
Anna Moeslein,
Glamour,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
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He was convicted in 2019 of seven felonies, including obstructing a congressional inquiry, lying to investigators under oath and attempting to block witness testimony.—
Mary Ramsey,
Charlotte Observer,
27 Mar. 2026
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The driver was booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and obstructing or delaying an officer, police said.—
Sydney Barragan,
Oc Register,
27 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Handcuffing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/handcuffing. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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