manacle 1 of 2

manacle

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb manacle contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of manacle are clog, fetter, hamper, shackle, and trammel. While all these words mean "to hinder or impede in moving, progressing, or acting," shackle and manacle are stronger than fetter and suggest total loss of freedom.

a mind shackled by stubborn prejudice
a people manacled by tyranny

When might clog be a better fit than manacle?

Although the words clog and manacle have much in common, clog usually implies a slowing by something extraneous or encumbering.

a court system clogged by frivolous suits

When would fetter be a good substitute for manacle?

The words fetter and manacle can be used in similar contexts, but fetter suggests a restraining so severe that freedom to move or progress is almost lost.

a nation fettered by an antiquated class system

When is it sensible to use hamper instead of manacle?

The synonyms hamper and manacle are sometimes interchangeable, but hamper may imply the effect of any impeding or restraining influence.

hampered the investigation by refusing to cooperate

When can trammel be used instead of manacle?

The words trammel and manacle are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, trammel suggests entangling by or confining within a net.

rules that trammel the artist's creativity

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 manacle
Noun
Beneath it, on the left side of the page, was a picture of Jackson in manacles. Mara Bovsun, New York Daily News, 29 June 2024 During the trial, Wilber wore a manacle around his ankle and a stun belt on his arm. Sarah Volpenhein, Journal Sentinel, 2 Aug. 2022 Brown turned Milwaukee’s defense from manacle to meme. Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 4 May 2022 How to Be an Antiracist is a journal of Kendi's efforts to free himself of the ideological manacles clamped upon him by a society suffused with white supremacism, capitalist exploitation, misogyny and the repression of unconventional sexuality. Dallas News, 26 Aug. 2019 From every officer’s belt there dangled an insectlike furl of disposable plastic manacles. Caleb Crain, Harper's magazine, 22 July 2019 The genie is literally the slave of the lamp, his power bracelets actually manacles keeping him obedient to an endless round of masters. Michael Dirda, Washington Post, 12 June 2019 But beyond the frenzied mix of hormones and alcohol is an intense curiosity in the outside world, one that noisily landed three weeks ago on the doorsteps of Russians, unfiltered and free from the manacles of politics. Amie Ferris-Rotman, Washington Post, 9 July 2018 The cellar dungeons were complete with bolts, chains and manacles for securing captives to the floors. Jonathan W. White, Smithsonian, 27 Feb. 2018
Verb
Drugged, kidnapped, and manacled while a pitiless killer wears her face. Keith Phipps, Vulture, 11 July 2024 Rubio hammered home his argument that there’s no daylight between Cuba’s lack of justice and Trump’s own trial, with a video featuring a military official manacled and brought before a crowd of more than 15,000 in the Havana Sports Palace arena. Orlando Sentinel and South Florida Sun Sentinel Editorial Boards, Orlando Sentinel, 14 June 2024 The scandal is that, instead of doing his duty, the attorney general manacled his own Justice Department’s investigation. The Editors, National Review, 21 July 2023 His hands were manacled to a chain belt at his waist, and his feet were bound by leg irons. Pamela Colloff, ProPublica, 4 Dec. 2019 During those endless days and nights, everything was done to break his will: solitary confinement, pressure to confess by cruel supervisors and the humiliation of being manacled while receiving medical attention. Ariel Dorfman, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2018 They are filmed in lingering close-up as the opening credits roll, a montage of them manacling the wrists, ankles, necks, and dreams of African American men. Rochelle Riley, Detroit Free Press, 25 Feb. 2018 Early practitioners in literary study, the history of language, and anthropology were often ideologically manacled by the cultural mores that encased their object of study. Josephine Livingstone, New Republic, 25 Oct. 2017 He was imprisoned and, along with several other artists, manacled for a period of 50 days. Anne Glusker, Smithsonian, 6 Apr. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for manacle
Noun
  • Denny’s is closing dozens of restaurants The American diner is closing at least 30 of its restaurants as part of the struggling chain’s plans to jumpstart growth.
    Alexandra Banner, CNN, 14 Feb. 2025
  • Some grocery chains, including Trader Joe’s and Kroger, have placed limits on the amount of eggs shoppers can purchase in an attempt to address the shortage.
    Caroline Petrow-Cohen, Los Angeles Times, 13 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • As businesses adapted to new ways of working, obstacles were removed for employees who had previously found their options limited.
    Gene Myers, USA TODAY, 11 Feb. 2025
  • Poor planning can jeopardize access to space, materials, and equipment, leading to obstacles that drain time and money.
    Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 9 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Our groceries are full of glorious winter citrus, which adds brightness to this ethereal dessert, which is bound to entice your Valentine.
    Martin Sorge, Chicago Tribune, 11 Feb. 2025
  • The action takes place in 1993 as a train bound from the Serbian capital makes its way into Bosnian territory during the civil war in the former Yugoslavia.
    Matthew Carey, Deadline, 10 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Getting the longest of those delays can hamper any chance of beating Tyson in the first round.
    Ars Technica, Ars Technica, 9 Feb. 2025
  • Experts in workplace safety have warned that could inhibit them from speaking up about health threats on the job, hampering efforts to stop hazards and illnesses.
    Emily Alpert Reyes, Los Angeles Times, 8 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • The young girl formed close bonds with other patients and all the staff who knew her, Bower said.
    Alaa Elassar, CNN, 9 Feb. 2025
  • She was later released after posting bond, according to Marceno and online records with the sheriff's office.
    Mollie Markowitz, Fox News, 9 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • In a climate where immigrants in the United States continue to face extraordinary hurdles, Tonos believes the struggle can still yield high rewards.
    Holly Jones, Variety, 6 Feb. 2025
  • The project has faced early hurdles: Elon Musk openly split with Trump on the day of its announcement, questioning whether its backers had enough money to fund the project.
    David Jeans, Forbes, 5 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • The movie, which follows two cousins on a trip to their late grandmother’s hometown in Poland, recently tied with Deadpool & Wolverine for best comedy at the Critics Choice Awards.
    Zoe G. Phillips, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Feb. 2025
  • The 28-year-old has made two starts on the PGA Tour so far this season, finishing tied for ninth at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
    Kels Dayton, Hartford Courant, 11 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Driving the news: The freezing of State Department funds is hindering local groups from helping refugees who arrived shortly before the executive order, says Adam Clark, the executive director of World Relief Durham.
    Zachery Eanes, Axios, 10 Feb. 2025
  • Beauty struck a rare sour note during its quarterly report, cutting its full-year guidance in light of a January that the retailer says was hindered by the LA wildfires and fewer makeup tutorials on TikTok.
    Sara Salinas, CNBC, 7 Feb. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near manacle

Cite this Entry

“Manacle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/manacle. Accessed 19 Feb. 2025.

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