1
as in chain
something that physically prevents free movement
placed shackles on the legs of the prisoners
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in embarrassment
shackles plural
something that makes movement or progress difficult
the shackles of illiteracy can be just as confining as leg irons
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to bind
to confine or restrain with or as if with chains
unwilling to shackle the dogs to the wall of the house
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to hinder
to create difficulty for the work or activity of
shackled by poverty and ignorance
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of shackle
Michael Russo, New York Times, 31 July 2025
On the one hand, China is the all-purpose bogeyman that should remove the shackles of regulation.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 23 July 2025
Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2025
The workers may be shackled or handcuffed, and torture is not uncommon.
—Christine Ro, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shackle
Noun
This was always going to be an important summer for the Minnesota Wild, with their superstar eligible for a long-term extension and the shackles of the Zach Parise-Ryan Suter buyouts finally off.
—Michael Russo, New York Times, 31 July 2025
On the one hand, China is the all-purpose bogeyman that should remove the shackles of regulation.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 23 July 2025
Verb
According to several outlets, the raid was front-page news across South Korea over the weekend, leading with images of workers — shackled at the wrists, waist and ankles — being loaded onto buses.
—Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2025
The workers may be shackled or handcuffed, and torture is not uncommon.
—Christine Ro, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shackle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shackle
Noun
-
With masses equivalent to millions or even billions of suns, supermassive black holes are too massive to have been born from dying stars; instead, it is theorized that they are created when smaller black holes collide and merge, and a chain of progressively larger and larger mergers.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
12 Sep. 2025
-
The investment group also includes the Cherng Family Trust, the family office of the co-founders of the Panda Express restaurant chain, according to Friday’s statement.—
Eben Novy-Williams,
Sportico.com,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Claudia Choose vulnerability over performative coolness, because possible embarrassment is way more powerful than polished detachment.—
Caterina De Biasio,
Vogue,
11 Sep. 2025
-
The companies showing off their cases with a lighter white or silvery iPhone 17 Pro in product shots mostly dodged any embarrassment, as those are harder to distinguish from Apple’s actual silver color.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Once technology companies weed out junior roles, occupied by Gen Zers, their workforces are bound to rise in age.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
7 Sep. 2025
-
Unlike pension funds or institutional investors bound to reporting cycles, family offices can afford to wait.—
Francois Botha,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The share of businesses saying that lack of transparency was hindering operations fell by 12 percentage points to 16%.—
Evelyn Cheng,
CNBC,
10 Sep. 2025
-
These challenges not only hinder women’s economic advancement but also limit businesses from reaching their full potential.—
C200,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
This is significant because the bracelet becomes a minor plot point throughout the episode.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
10 Sep. 2025
-
During her first visit with Daniel’s parents, Cherry takes a bracelet from Laura’s room and throws Laura’s cat Moses out the bathroom window.—
Olivia B. Waxman,
Time,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The difficulty in getting rid of players other than those whose contracts expired this summer (Luka Modric, Lucas Vazquez and Jesus Vallejo) was a significant obstacle.—
James McNicholas,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
-
To overcome this obstacle, the MIT team employed lithium-6 atoms, a rare isotope whose resonance frequency shifts depending on temperature.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Through two games, the Ragin’ Cajuns have held opponents to an average of 12 points per game — a mark that’s tied for the best in the Sun Belt.—
Maddie Hartley,
Kansas City Star,
10 Sep. 2025
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The other way to address Africa’s borrowing challenges, Loyiso Tyabashe, chief executive of the South Africa Nuclear Energy Corporation, told Semafor, is tied to execution.—
Prashant Rao,
semafor.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The Bundys and several others in the vehicles were arrested and charged with multiple federal crimes, including conspiracy to impede federal officers.—
Nicole Blanchard,
Idaho Statesman,
7 Sep. 2025
-
Let go of whatever impedes your growth.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
5 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shackle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shackle. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.
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