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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for handcuffed
Adjective
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More generally, some people are concerned that becoming too reliant on AI for menial and routine tasks could lead to us becoming over-reliant and helpless, perhaps even to the detriment of human problem-solving or decision-making ability.—
Bernard Marr,
Forbes.com,
14 Apr. 2025 -
Asking for help isn’t the same as being helpless, Pryor noted.—
Megan Sauer,
CNBC,
11 Apr. 2025
Verb
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For example, the east inner region is bounded by Central Avenue, Eastway Drive, Wendover Road, Randolph Road and the John Belk and Brookshire freeways.—
Desiree Mathurin,
Charlotte Observer,
3 Apr. 2025
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Importantly, this intelligent exploration is bounded by guardrails that provide the necessary limits for survival and efficient path selection.—
Jason D. Greenblatt,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Before the polio vaccine was introduced in 1955, tens of thousands of children were catching the disease every year; thousands of them died, and more were left paralyzed.—
Bruce Handy,
The Atlantic,
16 Apr. 2025
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Because tariffs are a type of taxation, Mr. Trump’s plan is among the largest tax increases in decades, analysts say, a policy change that sent the stock market reeling, paralyzed corporate investment and shoved the economy closer to a recession.—
Andrew Duehren,
New York Times,
5 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Williams tied a career high with four made 3-pointers, and Keon Johnson tied a career high with eight assists.—
C.J. Holmes,
New York Daily News,
5 Jan. 2025
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But the Vikings are just as formidable — top 10 in points for and against and tied for the most takeaways in football.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
The Athletic,
5 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The provision was ratified in the late nineteen-eighties, but conservatives allied with the country’s agricultural lobby have long impeded its enforcement.—
Julian Lucas,
The New Yorker,
24 Feb. 2025
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Poor governance and economic stewardship have impeded the region’s development and generated the grievances behind the Arab Spring.—
Marwan Muasher,
Foreign Affairs,
21 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Carbonaceous chondrites tend to be weaker and more crumbly than other meteorites, so these objects just don’t stand as much of a chance.—
Patrick M. Shober,
The Conversation,
14 Apr. 2025
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Then, McIlroy hit a weak drive to the right and was blocked by pines.—
Time,
Time,
14 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The status of the third remained unknown, but snow obstructed a full view of the nest.—
Amanda Kooser,
Forbes,
14 Mar. 2025
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Yoon apologized for his brief martial law decree, but later doubled down and defended the move, arguing the liberal party obstructed his political agenda.—
Sophia Vento,
The Hill,
8 Mar. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Handcuffed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/handcuffed. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
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