1
as in chain
usually manacles plural
something that physically prevents free movement
manacles prevented the bear from roaming beyond a very small area
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in obstacle
something that makes movement or progress difficult
the warring groups need to shake off the manacle of their troubled past and learn to live with one another in peace
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to bind
to confine or restrain with or as if with chains
manacled the prisoner to the wall
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to hamper
to create difficulty for the work or activity of
in this situation, the police are manacled by unnecessary regulations
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of manacle
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
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
The cellar dungeons were complete with bolts, chains and manacles for securing captives to the floors.
—
Jonathan W. White,
Smithsonian,
27 Feb. 2018
Eric Adler,
Kansas City Star,
21 Jan. 2026
Once the detainees were on board, agents brought in a van with dozens of women, also manacled, to board next.
—
Eric Cortellessa,
Time,
10 June 2025
Drugged, kidnapped, and manacled while a pitiless killer wears her face.
—
Keith Phipps,
Vulture,
11 July 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
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
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
The cellar dungeons were complete with bolts, chains and manacles for securing captives to the floors.
—
Jonathan W. White,
Smithsonian,
27 Feb. 2018
Verb
King appeared in a gray and white, striped prison suit, with his hands manacled at his waist.
—
Eric Adler,
Kansas City Star,
21 Jan. 2026
Once the detainees were on board, agents brought in a van with dozens of women, also manacled, to board next.
—
Eric Cortellessa,
Time,
10 June 2025
Drugged, kidnapped, and manacled while a pitiless killer wears her face.
—
Keith Phipps,
Vulture,
11 July 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for manacle
Noun
-
His cuffs and chains were removed and a few minutes later he was pronounced dead, according to the family.
-
The federal government is suing 99 Ranch Market, alleging the nation’s largest Asian supermarket chain is discriminating against employees who are not Chinese.
Noun
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But even Johnson is not immune to the bruising consequences of dealing with a president who critics say treats Congress as an obstacle, instead of an equal — frequently flexing his power through executive orders.
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Crews can drive directly into rivers or lakes without installing additional equipment, allowing the vehicle to continue moving even when water obstacles stand in the way.
Verb
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Teplizumab – a form of immunotherapy – binds to immune cells to slow their attack and so delays the need to take insulin by two to three years.
-
But, of course, everyone has a secret that’s bound to come out.
Verb
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The decision severely hampered local planning for America’s 250th anniversary, disrupting history projects, museums and educational programs nationwide.
-
Chwalińska took a medical timeout for the injury at the end of the game, and she was clearly hampered by it for the rest of the match.
Noun
-
Bordley is being held in the Jackson County Detention Center on a $150,000 bond, according to the jail’s inmate listing.
-
Victoria Robinson was arrested after police responded on June 3 and released on bond the same day.
Noun
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To directly address these technical, safety, and regulatory hurdles, the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) and the international energy technology firm Eni have established a new commercial engineering services company named RH3OVA.
-
There are still some hurdles to get Trout to the game this year.
Verb
-
Acuff hit one of two free throws to tie the game with 38 seconds remaining.
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Gomez's glam team tied the look together with a sleek bun, pink lipstick, and smoky eye makeup.
Verb
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He was charged with hindering apprehension, obstruction of justice and tampering with evidence in connection with this case.
-
The Great American State Fair kicked off last week, though the 16-day event has been hindered by weather shutdowns, technical difficulties and low attendance.
Cite this Entry
“Manacle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/manacle. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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