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

Examples of manacle in a Sentence

These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Recent Examples on the Web
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
  • However, while Satoshi stepped away more than a decade ago, Back continues to work on the $1.4 trillion chain through Bitcoin development company Blockstream.
    Steven Ehrlich, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
  • The ballots are then be placed in a sealed box for secure transport back to the county's processing center, maintaining a clear and documented chain of custody throughout the process.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
Noun
  • Despite the obstacles, many countries have committed to mediator roles.
    Michael Kimmage, Foreign Affairs, 7 Nov. 2024
  • Many inferior systems don't provide enough illumination to enable a driver going 55 mph on a straight road to stop in time after spotting an obstacle in the vehicle’s path.
    Jim Gorzelany, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • Hoping that Brendan would find it in his heart to spare her husband’s life, and knowing that the IRA was bound to discover his double-identity sooner rather than later, Kathleen confesses to Brendan.
    Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 14 Nov. 2024
  • But viewers are bound to tune in all the same, as the show about a Montana ranch owner and his family has broken ratings records for years.
    Anya Jaremko-Greenwold, The Week US, theweek, 13 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • But it has not been shut down or hampered by government action even under Biden, and the new Trump administration likely also won’t take any action against it.
    CNN.com, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024
  • The massive pier project was hampered by unexpected bad weather and security issues, as well as persistent safety issues involving Israeli forces that prompted aid agencies to halt distribution of the supplies out of fear of being injured and killed.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2024
Noun
  • In an effort to bring residents a new public space, Measure E proposes utilizing $290 million in bonds — a form of long-term borrowing authorized by the state to fund public improvements — for a new library near Sunnyvale City Hall.
    Stephanie Lam, The Mercury News, 6 Nov. 2024
  • Question 3: Part two of the city’s bond series included an ask to issue $170 million of debt to construct and renovate parks, build a new recreational facility and aquatic center, and renovate the i.d.e.a. Museum, among other projects.
    Maritza Dominguez, The Arizona Republic, 5 Nov. 2024
Noun
  • The outstanding question remains whether or not there’s a surge in AI PC usage that goes along with that more basic hardware hurdle.
    Zak Doffman, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
  • However, those gains have come with some hurdles, including a summer sell-off as sentiment dampened over the payoff from AI.
    Samantha Subin, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • Boost’s fastest downloads, up to 1Gbps, come on phones such as Samsung’s Galaxy S24 that support four-channel carrier aggregation, in which the network ties multiple 5G channels together to maximize throughput.
    Rob Pegoraro, PCMAG, 11 Nov. 2024
  • Jokic tipped in his own miss with 49 seconds left to tie the game and set up for Denver’s fifth win that has come down to the last possession of regulation.
    Bennett Durando, The Denver Post, 10 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • Brendan Carr, the GOP commissioner often tipped as Trump’s likely pick for a new FCC chair, frequently decries the current rules as addressing a threat—providers outright blocking an app or hindering its performance—that no longer exists while giving the commission too much power over providers.
    Rob Pegoraro, PCMAG, 6 Nov. 2024
  • The severe weather comes as millions of Americans head to the polls, raising concerns that flash flooding, heavy downpours, and lightning risks could hinder voter turnout and cause travel delays.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near manacle

Cite this Entry

“Manacle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/manacle. Accessed 17 Nov. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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