# shackled

/ˈʃækəɫd/ (US) · /ʃˈækəld/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/shackled
Updated: 2026-05-30

## Definition

to be tied up with heavy metal chains, usually because you are a prisoner. It can also mean to be limited or controlled by something that stops you from being free.

For teachers: to be restrained by chains or other heavy fetters; figuratively, to be restricted or burdened by a limiting factor. Often used in the passive voice to describe a state of restriction.

## Examples

- The prisoner was shackled to the wall.
- The small business was shackled by high interest rates and strict lending laws that prevented it from growing.
- While the physical shackled of the captives was a visible sign of their loss of freedom, the psychological shackled of their former lives proved far more difficult to overcome.

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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.