hands are tied
IdiomsExample Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But, county officials say their hands are tied in their ability to stop or slow development.
From Salon • Jun. 6, 2026
Royce Mendes, head of macro strategy at Desjardins Capital Markets, said Macklem is signaling that his hands are tied in addressing the current state of economic trepidation.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 5, 2026
The government's "hands are tied when it comes to financially supporting nuclear power, unless it's willing to go back on one of the main selling points", Koppenborg says.
From BBC • Jan. 21, 2026
“Sometimes I feel like every time we try, our hands are tied behind our back, and we’re not being allowed to help the children that need help.”
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 14, 2024
"You're absolutely right, ma'am, but our hands are tied unless you, as a responsible citizen, help us out."
From "How the García Girls Lost Their Accents" by Julia Alvarez
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
