shackled

From the verb shackle: (⇒ conjugate)

shackled is: ⓘ

v past

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

shack•le /ˈʃækəl/   n., v., -led, -ling. 
n. [countable]

1. a fastening, as of iron, for placing around the wrist, ankle, etc., to prevent free movement;
   fetter.
2. Often, shackles. [plural] anything that serves to prevent or reduce freedom, thought, etc.:
   shackles of prejudice.

v. [~ + object]

3. to confine, restrain, or prevent free movement of (a person or animal) by a shackle or shackles.
4. to restrict the freedom of:
   to shackle the press with tight restrictions.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

shack•le  (shak′əl), n., v., -led, -ling. 
n. 

1. a ring or other fastening, as of iron, for securing the wrist, ankle, etc.;
   fetter.
2. a hobble or fetter for a horse or other animal.
3. Building theU-shaped bar of a padlock, one end of which is pivoted or sliding, the other end of which can be released, as for passing through a staple, and then fastened, as for securing a hasp.
4. Building any of various fastening or coupling devices.
5. Often, shackles. anything that serves to prevent freedom of procedure, thought, etc.

v.t. 

6. to put a shackle or shackles on;
   confine or restrain by a shackle or shackles.
7. to fasten or couple with a shackle.
8. to restrain in action, thought, etc., as by restrictions;
   restrict the freedom of.

• bef. 1000; (noun, nominal) Middle English schakle, schakyl(le); Old English sceacel fetter; cognate with Low German schakel hobble, Old Norse skǫkull wagon pole, (verb, verbal) late Middle English schaklyn, derivative of the noun, nominal

shack′ler, n. 
Synonyms

• 1. chain, manacle, handcuff, gyve, bilboes.
• 5. obstacle, obstruction, impediment, encumbrance.
• 6. restrict, fetter, chain, handcuff, hobble.
• 8. trammel, impede, slow, stultify, dull.

Antonyms

• 6, 8. liberate, free.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

shackle / ˈʃæk^əl/ noun

1. (often plural) a metal ring or fastening, usually part of a pair used to secure a person's wrists or ankles; fetter
2. (often plural) anything that confines or restricts freedom: a country ready to throw off the shackles of its colonial past
3. a U-shaped bracket, the open end of which is closed by a bolt (shackle pin), used for securing ropes, chains, etc

verb (transitive)

1. to confine with or as if with shackles
2. to fasten or connect with a shackle

Etymology: Old English sceacel; related to Dutch schakel, Old Norse skokull wagon pole, Latin cingere to surround

ˈshackler noun