handcuff

1 of 2

noun

hand·​cuff ˈhan(d)-ˌkəf How to pronounce handcuff (audio)
Synonyms of handcuffnext
: a metal fastening that can be locked around a wrist and is usually connected by a chain or bar with another such fastening
—usually plural

handcuff

2 of 2

verb

handcuffed; handcuffing; handcuffs

transitive verb

1
: to apply handcuffs to : manacle
2
: to hold in check : make ineffective or powerless
handcuffed by strict regulations

Synonyms of handcuff

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Noun

Verb

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Examples of handcuff in a Sentence

Noun the man reluctantly held out his wrists so the policeman could snap on handcuffs Verb wanted to take the trip, but was handcuffed by her responsibility to watch her ailing father 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
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Noun
The woman’s boyfriend, an off-duty police officer, then placed Gonzalez in handcuffs, according to the statement. — Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2026 When Carrasco was walked out of the NYPD stationhouse in handcuffs by cops Thursday afternoon to appear in Bronx Criminal Court, supporters of the victim were waiting. — Theodore Parisienne, New York Daily News, 8 Oct. 2026
Verb
The other potential witness who was handcuffed in the ICE vehicle that hit Parra is Luis Delfín Martínez, who is being held in the Montgomery Processing Center in Conroe, north of Houston, according to advocates and relatives. — Julia Ainsley, NBC news, 15 Oct. 2026 The two pulled the boy to the ground by his sweatshirt and handcuffed him, police records show. — Kristian Hernández, San Antonio Express-News, 15 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for handcuff

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1649, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1649, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of handcuff was in 1649

Rhymes for handcuff

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Browse Nearby Words

hand cream
handcuff
hand cultivator
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Cite this Entry

“Handcuff.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/handcuff. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

handcuff

noun
hand·​cuff
ˈhan(d)-ˌkəf
: a metal fastening locking around a wrist and usually connected by a chain or bar with another such fastening
—usually used in plural
handcuff verb
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