Handcuff
Handcuff verb - To create difficulty for the work or activity of.
Usage example: 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
Hold back and handcuff are semantically related. In some cases you can use "Hold back" instead a verb "Handcuff".
Nearby Words: handcuffed, handcuffing
Hold back
Hold back verb - To create difficulty for the work or activity of.
Usage example: the only thing holding Joe back from joining the swim team is lack of transportation
Mutual synonyms
Related pairs
Cite this Source
Hold back and Handcuff. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 14, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/handcuff/hold_back
Handcuff & Hold back. N.p., 2016. Web. 14 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/handcuff/hold_back>.
Hold back or Handcuff. 2016. Accessed August 14, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/handcuff/hold_back.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "handcuff" and "hold back" have occurred on timeline