handcuff 1 of 2

noun

ˈhan(d)-ˌkəf How to pronounce handcuff (audio)
Definition of handcuffnext
as in bind
usually handcuffs plural something that physically prevents free movement the man reluctantly held out his wrists so the policeman could snap on handcuffs

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handcuff

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to bind
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to impede
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

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 handcuff
Noun
President of baseball operations Peter Bendix is doing a great job for a man in handcuffs. — Miami Herald, 5 Aug. 2026 The trooper ordered Lugo out of the BMW before placing him in handcuffs. — Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 3 Aug. 2026
Verb
Gilman had been moved from a prison to a civilian hospital, where he was hooked up to a feeding tube and handcuffed to a bed. — CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026 Ricardo Montes, father of seven and grandfather of 11, was handcuffed by plainclothes law enforcement officers at the Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo. — Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 11 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for handcuff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for handcuff
  1. bind
  2. tie
  3. impede
  4. chain
  5. hamper
  6. hinder
  7. bond
  8. shackle
Noun
  • The Hightower high lord and his armies have occupied Tumbleton and have Rhaenyra in something of a bind.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026
  • States cannot file for bankruptcy, leaving the Prairie State in an unusually tight bind.
    — Gregory Kearney, Chicago Tribune, 13 July 2026
Definition of bind
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
Verb
  • Typically, PAs are putting in 60-hour workweeks, and their duties can include everything from running errands to cleaning up messes to managing the general public when filming takes place in a location and impedes foot or car traffic.
    — Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The United States appears unwilling to accept any conditions that could impede transit.
    — , CNBC, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of impede
Noun
  • The chain replaced its soft bun with a more sturdier version, changed the recipe for its mayonnaise and now serves it in a box instead of wrapped in paper.
    — Jordan Valinsky, CNN Money, 12 Aug. 2026
  • After the pandemic, a national chain of Pilates studios reported 71 percent year-on-year growth in membership among men, as cited by GQ.
    — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of chain
Verb
  • The authors of the Sierra Avalanche Center report noted their investigation was hampered by an inability to interview the survivors, including the one surviving guide.
    — Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 8 Aug. 2026
  • The lack of open pores in the soil also hampers the movement of air and water.
    — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of hamper
Verb
  • Avoiding the storm-hindering winds would give it a better shot at becoming a tropical depression or storm.
    — Robin Webb, Sun Sentinel, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Picking the material and making a design that would not hinder the astronaut’s movements was another.
    — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of hinder
Noun
  • He’s being held without bond in the Duval County Jail, and his next court appearance is set for Thursday.
    — Avni Trivedi, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Government bond yields finished Monday’s session higher, with both 10-year and 30-year Treasury yields up 4 basis points.
    — Hugh Leask, CNBC, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of bond
Verb
  • Both players played well, Romero shackling Jude Bellingham for much of the evening, Spence producing a famous recovery tackle on Giuliano Simeone when England were 1-0 up.
    — Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Mangione entered the courtroom Tuesday wearing a gray suit with his wrists shackled in front of him.
    — Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of shackle

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Cite this Entry

“Handcuff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/handcuff. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

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