hands are tied

Idioms  

1. see tie one's hands.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

hands are tied

"I feel like my hands are tied because I can't find her," she laments.

From Barron's ● Jun. 30, 2026

“Our hands are tied behind our backs,” Dr. Erin Large later told her, according to a journal Waldorf began keeping on her phone and shared with ProPublica.

From Salon ● May 27, 2026

"It is an extra burden to bear, but our hands are tied by the ongoing matter," he said.

From BBC ● May 11, 2026

Coffee shops are working overtime to assure customers their hands are tied.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 3, 2025

Then she says, “My hands are tied, Fabiola. I did everything to get my sister here. Everything. I would’ve kissed the ground if she had walked through that door with you.”

From "American Street" by Ibi Zoboi