# tie someone's hands

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/tie-someones-hands
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To render someone powerless to act, to thwart someone.

## Examples

- The new rules tie my hands at work.
- The company policy ties my hands, so I cannot offer you a refund for this item.
- Strict legal regulations tie the hands of the committee, preventing them from taking the decisive action the public demands.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.