ENGLISH
REFERENCE

velvet handcuffs

idiom
Meaning

Golden handcuffs: any arrangement designed to provide favorable benefits or pay so as to discourage a participant from choosing to leave it.


Examples
SIMPLE

The high salary acts like velvet handcuffs for many employees.

CONTEXTUAL

She wants to quit her job to travel, but the generous bonus plan feels like velvet handcuffs.

COMPLEX

Although he felt uninspired by his corporate role, the exceptional benefits package served as velvet handcuffs, effectively binding him to a career he no longer found meaningful.

Anchors to
Related idioms1entry
  1. 01

    golden handcuffs

    Any arrangement or agreement designed to provide extremely favorable benefits or pay, so as to discourage a participant from choosing to leave it, especially to retain a choice employee in a role that is unpleasant to them.

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