golden handcuffs

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In the United States, employees often get stock options, a form of so-called "golden handcuffs" allowing workers to profit from share price gains over a set period of time.

From Barron's • May 28, 2026

“The golden handcuffs aren’t so golden anymore,” said Stephanie Geveda, who previously oversaw business-services investing at private-equity firm Warburg Pincus.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 20, 2025

“It’s like golden handcuffs because where do you find a salary that matches what you had?”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 28, 2025

According to Leo Peak, a real estate agent at Peak Family Real Estate Group, many homeowners are currently feeling the "golden handcuffs" effect of being locked into their homes by historically low mortgage rates.

From Salon • Apr. 5, 2025

The dignitary lifted the golden handcuffs from the pillow upon which they reposed.

From The Chessmen of Mars by Burroughs, Edgar Rice