as in helpless
unable to act or achieve one's purpose
handcuffed by a dearth of funding, the preservation society can do little but stand by as these historic structures deteriorate
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in bound
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in hampered
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 handcuffed
Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 29 Apr. 2026
He was then handcuffed and detained at the NYPD's 79th Precinct in Bed-Stuy and was ultimately charged.
—Amethyst Martinez, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2026
Trump also posted photographs of the suspect, believed to be Allen, shirtless and handcuffed, face down on the floor with officers surrounding him.
—Rebecca Schneid, Time, 27 Apr. 2026
In photos from that night, a museum guard is seen handcuffed in the basement, his head wrapped in duct tape.
—ABC News, 26 Apr. 2026
Shaknovsky, 44, appeared confused as deputies pulled him from the car and handcuffed him at a busy intersection in Miramar Beach, Florida, the video shows.
—Matt Lavietes, NBC news, 24 Apr. 2026
After giving Michael a false identity as a Royal Marines officer, the British handcuffed a briefcase to his wrist.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Apr. 2026
Bexar County Judge Rosie Speedlin Gonzalez, a colorful and controversial jurist who faced criminal charges for having an attorney handcuffed in her courtroom, has agreed to a lifetime ban on serving as a judge in the state of Texas.
—Gabriella Ybarra, San Antonio Express-News, 20 Apr. 2026
Colin Gray, the father of Apalachee High School shooting suspect Colt Gray, is handcuffed and escorted out of the room after jury deliberations at his trial at Barrow County Courthouse on March 3, 2026.
—Dan Raby, CBS News, 17 Apr. 2026
Verb
Others, like Bridgewater founder Ray Dalio, see the issue first cropping up in public spending, with programs being squeezed out by the interest payments the government is handcuffed into paying.
—Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 29 Apr. 2026
He was then handcuffed and detained at the NYPD's 79th Precinct in Bed-Stuy and was ultimately charged.
—Amethyst Martinez, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2026
Trump also posted photographs of the suspect, believed to be Allen, shirtless and handcuffed, face down on the floor with officers surrounding him.
—Rebecca Schneid, Time, 27 Apr. 2026
In photos from that night, a museum guard is seen handcuffed in the basement, his head wrapped in duct tape.
—ABC News, 26 Apr. 2026
Shaknovsky, 44, appeared confused as deputies pulled him from the car and handcuffed him at a busy intersection in Miramar Beach, Florida, the video shows.
—Matt Lavietes, NBC news, 24 Apr. 2026
After giving Michael a false identity as a Royal Marines officer, the British handcuffed a briefcase to his wrist.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Apr. 2026
Bexar County Judge Rosie Speedlin Gonzalez, a colorful and controversial jurist who faced criminal charges for having an attorney handcuffed in her courtroom, has agreed to a lifetime ban on serving as a judge in the state of Texas.
—Gabriella Ybarra, San Antonio Express-News, 20 Apr. 2026
Colin Gray, the father of Apalachee High School shooting suspect Colt Gray, is handcuffed and escorted out of the room after jury deliberations at his trial at Barrow County Courthouse on March 3, 2026.
—Dan Raby, CBS News, 17 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for handcuffed
Adjective
-
Punk appeared helpless as Reigns picked him up.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
20 Apr. 2026
-
The show’s name referred to their self-identification as helpless babies overwhelmed by the pressures of modernity, comforted only by coating themselves in fancy serums and moisturizers to recreate the peaceful, placental insulation of the womb.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The project area is bounded by the Midlothian Turnpike, Central Avenue, 147th Street and Lamon Avenue.—
Evy Lewis,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
-
After all, in Game 3, Banchero made a game-clinching 3 in the final minute that bounded high off the back of the rim and miraculously fell through.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
There’s an iPad for everyone, but the platform as a whole has felt stuck for a long time, with fast and capable hardware hampered by software that doesn’t take full advantage of it.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
24 Apr. 2026
-
He’s since lost quickness and, because of his persistent injuries – he’s been hampered by hamstring issues over the last year and was questionable for Game 3 with calf tightness – never seems to have his full burst on the floor.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Now at 21, Lucy’s family is helping her rebuild after the spinal stroke left her paralyzed from the neck down.—
Angel Saunders,
PEOPLE,
23 Apr. 2026
-
After colliding with a car that ended up in her racing path on Sunday, she's been left paralyzed from the neck down.—
Conor Wight,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The 9-17 start is also tied for the 12th worst start through this point in franchise history.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The swinging bunt tied the game at 1-1.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
This shall not be impeded by the cessation of hostilities.—
Yarden Segev,
NBC news,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Robert Brulle, a visiting professor at Brown University who studies fossil fuel lobbying, said ExxonMobil led efforts to discredit climate science that successfully impeded government intervention.—
Alex Kuffner,
USA Today,
15 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Viel made a weak pass that led to the goal but had a strong hit on McDavid in the opening 20 minutes as well.—
Andrew Knoll,
Oc Register,
25 Apr. 2026
-
With the uncertainty caused by the war with Iran, the price of oil going through the roof, and tariffs complicating company supply chains, analysts expected the labor market to get weaker.—
Jim Edwards,
Fortune,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Syrian authorities on Friday arrested Amjad Yousef, a former intelligence officer who appeared in a video leaked four years ago that appears to show him and his comrades executing dozens of blindfolded and shackled prisoners in the Damascus suburb of Tadamon during the civil war.—
Ghaith Alsayed,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Carvajal’s name was absent from the top of the January indictment unsealed on the morning Maduro arrived shackled in New York with Flores.—
Max Saltman,
CNN Money,
26 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Handcuffed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/handcuffed. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
