manacle 1 of 2

manacle

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb manacle contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of manacle are clog, fetter, hamper, shackle, and trammel. While all these words mean "to hinder or impede in moving, progressing, or acting," shackle and manacle are stronger than fetter and suggest total loss of freedom.

a mind shackled by stubborn prejudice
a people manacled by tyranny

When might clog be a better fit than manacle?

Although the words clog and manacle have much in common, clog usually implies a slowing by something extraneous or encumbering.

a court system clogged by frivolous suits

When would fetter be a good substitute for manacle?

The words fetter and manacle can be used in similar contexts, but fetter suggests a restraining so severe that freedom to move or progress is almost lost.

a nation fettered by an antiquated class system

When is it sensible to use hamper instead of manacle?

The synonyms hamper and manacle are sometimes interchangeable, but hamper may imply the effect of any impeding or restraining influence.

hampered the investigation by refusing to cooperate

When can trammel be used instead of manacle?

The words trammel and manacle are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, trammel suggests entangling by or confining within a net.

rules that trammel the artist's creativity

Examples 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 manacle
Noun
Beneath it, on the left side of the page, was a picture of Jackson in manacles. Mara Bovsun, New York Daily News, 29 June 2024 During the trial, Wilber wore a manacle around his ankle and a stun belt on his arm. Sarah Volpenhein, Journal Sentinel, 2 Aug. 2022 Brown turned Milwaukee’s defense from manacle to meme. Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 4 May 2022 How to Be an Antiracist is a journal of Kendi's efforts to free himself of the ideological manacles clamped upon him by a society suffused with white supremacism, capitalist exploitation, misogyny and the repression of unconventional sexuality. Dallas News, 26 Aug. 2019 From every officer’s belt there dangled an insectlike furl of disposable plastic manacles. Caleb Crain, Harper's magazine, 22 July 2019 The genie is literally the slave of the lamp, his power bracelets actually manacles keeping him obedient to an endless round of masters. Michael Dirda, Washington Post, 12 June 2019 But beyond the frenzied mix of hormones and alcohol is an intense curiosity in the outside world, one that noisily landed three weeks ago on the doorsteps of Russians, unfiltered and free from the manacles of politics. Amie Ferris-Rotman, Washington Post, 9 July 2018 The cellar dungeons were complete with bolts, chains and manacles for securing captives to the floors. Jonathan W. White, Smithsonian, 27 Feb. 2018
Verb
Drugged, kidnapped, and manacled while a pitiless killer wears her face. Keith Phipps, Vulture, 11 July 2024 Rubio hammered home his argument that there’s no daylight between Cuba’s lack of justice and Trump’s own trial, with a video featuring a military official manacled and brought before a crowd of more than 15,000 in the Havana Sports Palace arena. Orlando Sentinel and South Florida Sun Sentinel Editorial Boards, Orlando Sentinel, 14 June 2024 The scandal is that, instead of doing his duty, the attorney general manacled his own Justice Department’s investigation. The Editors, National Review, 21 July 2023 His hands were manacled to a chain belt at his waist, and his feet were bound by leg irons. Pamela Colloff, ProPublica, 4 Dec. 2019 During those endless days and nights, everything was done to break his will: solitary confinement, pressure to confess by cruel supervisors and the humiliation of being manacled while receiving medical attention. Ariel Dorfman, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2018 They are filmed in lingering close-up as the opening credits roll, a montage of them manacling the wrists, ankles, necks, and dreams of African American men. Rochelle Riley, Detroit Free Press, 25 Feb. 2018 Early practitioners in literary study, the history of language, and anthropology were often ideologically manacled by the cultural mores that encased their object of study. Josephine Livingstone, New Republic, 25 Oct. 2017 He was imprisoned and, along with several other artists, manacled for a period of 50 days. Anne Glusker, Smithsonian, 6 Apr. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for manacle
Noun
  • Los Angeles only has a volunteer, part-time and mostly teenage hand crew, who use axes, shovels and chain saws to stop wildfires spreading, according to the Post.
    Chris Boyette, CNN, 21 Jan. 2025
  • State of play: Peter Morton sold his interest in the cafe chain in 1996.
    Carrie Shepherd, Axios, 21 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Discrediting the science As the industry’s recruitment of spokespeople aimed to stem the tide of local gas bans, SoCalGas faced another obstacle: Mounting research that revealed the harmful health effects of gas stoves.
    Ari Plachta, Sacramento Bee, 17 Jan. 2025
  • Their change of heart reflects the inconvenient practical obstacles to suddenly cutting off access to a popular platform.
    Johanna Costigan, Forbes, 17 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Removing such an important network from any team is bound to cause disruption to the team’s identity.
    Jordan Campbell, The Athletic, 18 Jan. 2025
  • The Jubilee runs through early January 2026, so, if you are bound for Rome, book everything as far in advance as possible.
    Gary Stoller, Forbes, 18 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Which dyes carry more risks than others is also unclear due to the lack of research and funding, which is hampered by industry lobbying, added Mande, CEO of Nourish Science, a nongovernmental organization focused on US nutrition crises.
    Kristen Rogers, CNN, 17 Jan. 2025
  • Plus, Henry is likely hampered for being too good too consistently for so long that his market simply remains flat.
    Larry Holder, The Athletic, 16 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Unlike most cats, who tend to avoid water at all costs, Claudia's feline seems to have a special bond with bath time.
    Michael Gfoeller And David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 16 Jan. 2025
  • Construction is being funded through a combination of grants, Tax Increment Financing (TIF) district money and proceeds from a bond sale.
    Gloria Casas, Chicago Tribune, 16 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • But Noe said the biggest hurdle local farmers face when trying to expand their operations is the pressure from development spreading across the historic agricultural lands in South Miami-Dade.
    Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 24 Jan. 2025
  • Still, patients need to jump through logistical hurdles to secure a prescription or insurance coverage.
    Team Verywell Health, Verywell Health, 24 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Jrue Holiday committed a costly late-game turnover and fouled Trae Young with the Celtics up two, allowing the Hawks star to tie the game with free throws.
    Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 19 Jan. 2025
  • Makhachev's 15 wins in a row is also one away from tying the 16-fight win streak that was set by Anderson Silva.
    David Faris, Newsweek, 19 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • This detachment can hinder the development of relationship security, which is essential for building healthy relationships in adulthood.
    Mark Travers, Forbes, 19 Jan. 2025
  • As homeowners turn to contractors for the slow process of rebuilding, an immigration policy that deports undocumented workers or forces them underground may hinder the recovery.
    Rachel Uranga, Los Angeles Times, 19 Jan. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near manacle

Cite this Entry

“Manacle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/manacle. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!