chain 1 of 2

noun

ˈchān How to pronounce chain (audio)
Definition of chainnext
1
as in sequence
a series of things linked together the chain of events that led the American colonies to seek independence from Great Britain

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2
as in obstacle
something that makes movement or progress difficult this community will grow and prosper only after it has thrown off the chains of ignorance and prejudice

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in bracelet
something that physically prevents free movement chains on the prisoner's ankles

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chain

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to bind
to confine or restrain with or as if with chains chaining up the dog in the backyard

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to connect
to put or bring together so as to form a new and longer whole the prosecutor meticulously and brilliantly chained all the evidence together in his closing argument

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 chain
Noun
Cinema United, a lobbying group that represents theater chains big and small, remains opposed to the deal. — Bloomberg, Daily News, 11 Aug. 2026 Rescuers formed human chains to remove bricks and masonry, stopping every few minutes to listen for signs of life from those trapped below. — CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
Verb
Two of those citations were connected to a January 22, 2026 fire in which two workers were discovered inside a cooler room whose entrance door had reportedly been chained shut. — Denis Akbari, USA Today, 7 Aug. 2026 These can be chained to separate authentication bypasses and privilege escalation vulnerabilities. — Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 5 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for chain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chain
  1. sequence
  2. obstacle
  3. bracelet
  4. bind
  5. connect
  6. train
  7. hurdle
  8. tie
Noun
  • Those types of sequences are building-block moments for Williams, competitive victories as the offense continues to take shape.
    — Dan Wiederer, New York Times, 12 Aug. 2026
  • There are dance sequences to come, and delight to be had as their own kids demonstrate the same ferocious capacity for imaginative play in later years.
    — Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of sequence
Noun
  • For many commercial fleets, access to fueling has remained one of the biggest obstacles to adopting natural gas vehicles.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Unlike Lake Michigan, debris and garbage settle along the riverbed and near the banks, forcing divers to search through sediment and obstacles while currents continue to move beneath the surface.
    — Darius Johnson, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of obstacle
Noun
  • Patrice Thompson is still wearing her son's hospital bracelet.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Montes was trying to get a 21-and-older bracelet at the Bootheel rodeo, where rapper That Mexican OT was scheduled to perform, according to his family and law enforcement.
    — Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of bracelet
Verb
  • Another confounding detail surrounding Ge’s death is that when he was found, his hands and feet were bound, and bedsheet strips were tied around his chest, according to his autopsy report.
    — Connor Greene, Time, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Self-exclusion in particular only binds licensed operators, which is why offshore sites target people who have signed up for it.
    — Boaz Sobrado, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of bind
Verb
  • Damianos also hailed the entry of French investment company Meridiam as a backer to the Great Seas Interconnector project, an electricity cable that will connect Europe’s power grid with that of Cyprus and eventually Israel.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 9 Aug. 2026
  • One of those shell casings was entered into the ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN), which compares shell casings and other evidence and connects them to shootings involving the same firearm.
    — Mark Morales, CNN Money, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of connect
Noun
  • The actor arrived in a regal sky blue high-neck top with a long cascading train and clashing red lining — custom designed by Prabal Gurung — offset with a casual pair of low slung, non-maternity jeans by La Ligne that skimmed just under her bump.
    — Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 12 Aug. 2026
  • According to the Metra website, UPW Train #66 remains stopped near Lombard, but all other inbound and outbound trains are back on the move and may be operating 50 minutes behind schedule.
    — Jeramie Bizzle, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of train
Noun
  • Prosecutors will have to overcome a few key hurdles in their case.
    — Eric Levenson, CNN Money, 9 Aug. 2026
  • With so many advancements underway, the biggest hurdle may be the federal Nuclear Waste Policy Act, which essentially bars any permanent nuclear waste disposal licensing outside of Yucca Mountain, a project that is now, again, essentially defunct.
    — Jordan Blum, Fortune, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of hurdle
Verb
  • Mesa tied it at 1 with a 412-foot homer into right field in the fourth.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 9 Aug. 2026
  • In a scoreless game in the bottom of the seventh, Didier Fuentes came out of the Braves’ bullpen and worked around a two-out single to keep the game tied.
    — Chad Bishop, AJC.com, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of tie

Phrases Containing chain

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chagrins
chain
chained
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Cite this Entry

“Chain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chain. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on chain

Nglish: Translation of chain for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about chain

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