SHACKLES Synonyms: 192 Similar and Opposite Words

shackles 1 of 2

noun

plural of shackle

as in obstacle

something that makes movement or progress difficult the shackles of illiteracy can be just as confining as leg irons

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shackles

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of shackle

as in binds

to confine or restrain with or as if with chains unwilling to shackle the dogs to the wall of the house

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as in hampers

to create difficulty for the work or activity of shackled by poverty and ignorance

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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 shackles

Noun

Both defendants entered the courtroom wearing ankle shackles and appeared to be in good health. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2026 Carman, who turns 46 later this month, was brought in shackles to the Pattaya Provincial Court on Monday for a procedural hearing to designate witnesses to testify. — ABC News, 12 Oct. 2026 Carrasco smiled as he was walked out of the 49th Precinct Thursday afternoon with shackles on his legs and arms. — Lisa Rozner, CBS News, 8 Oct. 2026 Simpson appeared in court wearing shackles and a jail jumpsuit. — Gabriella Ybarra, San Antonio Express-News, 30 Sep. 2026 The agent couldn’t figure out how to fit the ankle shackles over Sanchez-Corona’s work boots. — Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 25 Sep. 2026 He’s sentenced to hard time in a rural work camp, breaking rocks in the hot sun — a chain gang minus the shackles. — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 16 Sep. 2026 The Tate brothers’ years of legal trouble At their first public appearance in weeks, the Tate brothers entered a courtroom on August 27 in shackles and matching tan jail jumpsuits, surrounded by four US marshals. — Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2026 The lawsuit alleges that county policy requires jail inmates to be restrained in handcuffs, waist chains and leg shackles while being transported. — Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 3 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for shackles

Noun

Icy weather, snowstorms, obstructive foliage and rugged terrain along the wild Rockies were just some of the obstacles Ben Nickell and Anne Koski faced on a 10-year journey to climb the highest point in each of Idaho’s 44 counties.

— Harllie Stevenson, Idaho Statesman, 20 Oct. 2026
Long before launch, the team faced obstacles that nearly thwarted the endeavor — chiefly, two rejections from NASA — before finally securing the green light for the $1 billion project under the New Frontiers Program in 2011.

— Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of obstacle

Verb

Also, a decision by a federal appeals court binds federal district courts within its jurisdiction—here, Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Utah and Wyoming—and serves as influential precedent elsewhere.

— Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Because microorganisms in water turn regular mercury into methylmercury, a toxic chemical form that binds tightly to fish tissue, the heavy metal accumulates to higher levels in aquatic animals.

— Sandee LaMotte, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of binds

Verb

But the inability a company to buy ads hampers a campaign’s visibility and removes a key tool that studios use to spread the word about a movie currently in theaters.

— Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 17 Oct. 2026
This lushness is truly remarkable on an island known for its volcanic soil, which traditionally hampers plant growth.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of hampers

Noun

Our main hurdle has always been convincing people to pay for a cinema ticket to watch two episodes of a series.

— Annika Pham, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
Most of the K-pop festivals that have been announced over the last few years never went ahead due to various logistical hurdles.

— Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of hurdle

Noun

The subpoenas concern possible obstruction of justice in the handling of cases before federal judges, the source said.

— Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 20 Oct. 2026
Robertson said those concerns include obstruction of pedestrian and car traffic, collisions into infrastructure, and effects on pets and children.

— Victor Jacobo, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of obstruction

Verb

Directed by the Spanish filmmaking duo Los Javis, the drama ties together three time periods to explore the history of gay male desire across nearly 100 years.

— Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
However, the app isn't anywhere near as in-depth as the latest Googlebook OS software, which seamlessly ties your computer to your Android phone and is available across five new laptops.

— James Peckham, PC Magazine, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of ties

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“Shackles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shackles. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of shackles

noun

verb

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