1
as in chain
usually manacles plural
something that physically prevents free movement
manacles prevented the bear from roaming beyond a very small area
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in obstacle
something that makes movement or progress difficult
the warring groups need to shake off the manacle of their troubled past and learn to live with one another in peace
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to bind
to confine or restrain with or as if with chains
manacled the prisoner to the wall
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to hamper
to create difficulty for the work or activity of
in this situation, the police are manacled by unnecessary regulations
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of manacle
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
The cellar dungeons were complete with bolts, chains and manacles for securing captives to the floors.
—Jonathan W. White, Smithsonian, 27 Feb. 2018
Eric Cortellessa, Time, 10 June 2025
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
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
The cellar dungeons were complete with bolts, chains and manacles for securing captives to the floors.
—Jonathan W. White, Smithsonian, 27 Feb. 2018
Verb
Once the detainees were on board, agents brought in a van with dozens of women, also manacled, to board next.
—Eric Cortellessa, Time, 10 June 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for manacle
Noun
-
This past July, the conservative advocacy group America First Legal requested a federal investigation of the chain due to its alleged discrimination against white employees.—
Graham Hillard,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Sep. 2025
-
The death sets off a chain of events that forces Lilian to revisit her fractured family life and complicated bond with her ex-husband.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The difficulty in getting rid of players other than those whose contracts expired this summer (Luka Modric, Lucas Vazquez and Jesus Vallejo) was a significant obstacle.—
James McNicholas,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
-
To overcome this obstacle, the MIT team employed lithium-6 atoms, a rare isotope whose resonance frequency shifts depending on temperature.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Once technology companies weed out junior roles, occupied by Gen Zers, their workforces are bound to rise in age.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
7 Sep. 2025
-
Unlike pension funds or institutional investors bound to reporting cycles, family offices can afford to wait.—
Francois Botha,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Currently, only 37% of the more than 5 million tons of trash generated in the county each year is recycled — and even that is hampered by a 40% contamination rate.—
Ashley Miznazi,
Miami Herald,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Maintain a safe distance from large vehicles - Trucks or buses can produce a water spray that hampers visibility.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The premium on French 30-year bonds breached a level last seen in 2008 as the government is on the brink of collapse, putting the country’s deficit reduction plans at risk .—
Jenni Reid,
CNBC,
3 Sep. 2025
-
On the long list of commonplace myths surrounding enterprise networking, the general public sometimes perceives that the work only fits extroverts developing purely transactional bonds.—
Nia Bowers,
USA Today,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Even if the discharge petition is successful, the underlying bill would have to clear many more hurdles.—
Emily Brooks,
The Hill,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Reports have also pointed to practical hurdles for Optimus, including production bottlenecks, hand dexterity issues, and leadership turnover on the program.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The college has implemented new programs and expanded others that are tied to in-demand jobs, Posey said.—
Bebe Hodges,
The Enquirer,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Lorenzen retired the next two hitters — via strikeout — as the game remained tied.—
Jaylon Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Alternatively, overly conservative limits may hinder essential remediation measures.—
Perry Carpenter,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
-
The deployment appeared to be the first time in decades that a state’s national guard was activated without a request from its governor, a significant escalation against those who have sought to hinder the administration’s mass deportation efforts.—
OLGA R. RODRIGUEZ,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Manacle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/manacle. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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