tied; tying
ˈtī-iŋ 
or tieing
or tieing
1
a
: to fasten, attach, or close by means of a tie
b
: to form a knot or bow in
tie your scarf
c
: to make by tying constituent elements
tied a wreath
tie a fishing fly
2
a
: to place or establish in relationship : connect
b
: to unite in marriage
c
: to unite (musical notes) by a tie
d
: to join (power systems) electrically
3
: to restrain from independence or freedom of action or choice : constrain by or as if by authority, influence, agreement, or obligation
4
a(1)
: to make or have an equal score with in a contest
(2)
: to equalize (the score) in a game or contest
(3)
: to equalize the score of (a game)
b
: to provide or offer something equal to : equal
: to make a tie: such as
a
: to make a bond or connection
b
: to make an equal score
c
: to become attached
d
: to close by means of a tie
1
a
: a line, ribbon, or cord used for fastening, uniting, or drawing something closed
especially
: shoelace
b(1)
: a structural element (such as a rod or angle iron) holding two pieces together : a tension member in a construction
(2)
: any of the transverse supports to which railroad rails are fastened to keep them in line
2
: something that serves as a connecting link: such as
a
: a moral or legal obligation to someone or something typically constituting a restraining power, influence, or duty
b
: a bond of kinship or affection
3
: a curved line that joins two musical notes of the same pitch to denote a single tone sustained through the time value of the two
4
a
: an equality in number (as of votes or scores)
b
: equality in a contest
also
: a contest that ends in a draw
5
: a method or style of tying or knotting
Synonyms
Examples of tie in a Sentence
Verb
His kidnappers tied him to a chair.
She tied a scarf around her neck.
She tied knots in the rope.
You need to tie your shoe.
His hands and feet had been tied together.
She tied the apron loosely around her waist.
The team still has a chance to tie.
I had the lead but he tied me by making a birdie on the last hole.
Her time tied the world record.
He tied the school's record in the high jump.
Noun
He was wearing a suit and tie.
You have a spot on your tie.
The pants have a tie at the top.
He was not ready to accept the ties of family life.
Recent Examples on the Web
Steve Gorten, Miami Herald, 6 Apr. 2024
Cork and latex footbeds tied together with EVA soles exude comfort and ease, all while remaining surprisingly durable against the elements and everyday wear and tear.
—Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 6 Apr. 2024
The score was tied at 1-all heading into the bottom of the eighth.
—Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 6 Apr. 2024
In October 2023, Frances tied the knot with Tony Hawk’s oldest son, Riley Hawk.
—Nicole Briese, Peoplemag, 5 Apr. 2024
Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 4, Servite 2: With the bases loaded, two outs and the game tied 2-2 in the bottom of the sixth inning, Dom Cadiz singled to pushed across a run and help the Knights win in the National Classic semifinals.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2024
As Monkey Man neared its April 5 U.S. release, its villains were further stripped of key details tying them to real-world Hindutva.
—Siddhant Adlakha, TIME, 5 Apr. 2024
Crowds will gather at eclipse watch parties to cheer on as the moon passes between Earth and the sun, and hundreds of couples plan to mark the phenomenon by tying the knot.
—Harmeet Kaur, CNN, 5 Apr. 2024
Ballerini, Wilson, Jelly Roll, Megan Moroney, and Cody Johnson all tied with three nominations each.
—Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 4 Apr. 2024
Nicol Natale, Peoplemag, 7 Apr. 2024
Advertisement Critics question whether a group with ties to the army can adequately investigate its actions.
—Tracy Wilkinson, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2024
Still, years of worsening ties, as well as official comments and state media coverage demonizing the United States, have had an impact on Chinese public opinion.
—Lily Kuo, Washington Post, 5 Apr. 2024
Witherspoon’s ties with Amazon go back to Daisy Jones and the Six.
—Lesley Goldberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Apr. 2024
Benjamin Hoffer, the chair of the village’s Planning and Zoning Commission who has ties to Mitchell’s entertainment district, submitted his letter of resignation in early October, a day after The Star’s story was published.
—Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 4 Apr. 2024
Flickinger, who was killed in the airstrikes while working with the group, has ties to South Florida.
—Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 4 Apr. 2024
Rene Gonzalez—Reuters As the Unification Church’s political ties grew, so did the brazenness of its propaganda.
—TIME, 4 Apr. 2024
Ruddy, a longtime media executive with deep ties to Republican politics, has long been a fixture at Trump’s private Mar-a-Lago Club and spent much of Trump’s presidency positioning himself in close proximity to the former president, according to club members and former Trump aides.
—Jonathan O'Connell, Washington Post, 26 Mar. 2024
Verb
Uihlein tied Gooch for second place in Las Vegas earlier this year — one stroke behind winner Dustin Johnson — after finishing second three times the previous two seasons.
—Steve Gorten, Miami Herald, 6 Apr. 2024
Cork and latex footbeds tied together with EVA soles exude comfort and ease, all while remaining surprisingly durable against the elements and everyday wear and tear.
—Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 6 Apr. 2024
The score was tied at 1-all heading into the bottom of the eighth.
—Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 6 Apr. 2024
In October 2023, Frances tied the knot with Tony Hawk’s oldest son, Riley Hawk.
—Nicole Briese, Peoplemag, 5 Apr. 2024
Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 4, Servite 2: With the bases loaded, two outs and the game tied 2-2 in the bottom of the sixth inning, Dom Cadiz singled to pushed across a run and help the Knights win in the National Classic semifinals.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2024
As Monkey Man neared its April 5 U.S. release, its villains were further stripped of key details tying them to real-world Hindutva.
—Siddhant Adlakha, TIME, 5 Apr. 2024
Crowds will gather at eclipse watch parties to cheer on as the moon passes between Earth and the sun, and hundreds of couples plan to mark the phenomenon by tying the knot.
—Harmeet Kaur, CNN, 5 Apr. 2024
Ballerini, Wilson, Jelly Roll, Megan Moroney, and Cody Johnson all tied with three nominations each.
—Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 4 Apr. 2024
Noun
The joggers have an adjustable tie waist for a custom fit.
—Nicol Natale, Peoplemag, 7 Apr. 2024
Advertisement Critics question whether a group with ties to the army can adequately investigate its actions.
—Tracy Wilkinson, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2024
Still, years of worsening ties, as well as official comments and state media coverage demonizing the United States, have had an impact on Chinese public opinion.
—Lily Kuo, Washington Post, 5 Apr. 2024
Witherspoon’s ties with Amazon go back to Daisy Jones and the Six.
—Lesley Goldberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Apr. 2024
Benjamin Hoffer, the chair of the village’s Planning and Zoning Commission who has ties to Mitchell’s entertainment district, submitted his letter of resignation in early October, a day after The Star’s story was published.
—Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 4 Apr. 2024
Flickinger, who was killed in the airstrikes while working with the group, has ties to South Florida.
—Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 4 Apr. 2024
Rene Gonzalez—Reuters As the Unification Church’s political ties grew, so did the brazenness of its propaganda.
—TIME, 4 Apr. 2024
Ruddy, a longtime media executive with deep ties to Republican politics, has long been a fixture at Trump’s private Mar-a-Lago Club and spent much of Trump’s presidency positioning himself in close proximity to the former president, according to club members and former Trump aides.
—Jonathan O'Connell, Washington Post, 26 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tie.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English teg, tye, from Old English tēag; akin to Old Norse taug rope, Old English tēon to pull — more at tow entry 1
First Known Use
Verb
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a
Noun
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Time Traveler
The first known use of tie was
before the 12th century
Phrases Containing tie
Dictionary Entries Near tie
Cite this Entry
“Tie.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tie. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
tie
1 of 2 noun1
: a line, ribbon, or cord used for fastening, uniting, or drawing something closed
2
a
: a structural part (as a beam) holding two pieces together
b
: one of the cross supports to which railroad rails are fastened
3
: a bond of kinship or affection
family ties
4
: a curved line joining two musical notes of the same pitch and used to indicate a single tone sustained through the time value of the two notes
5
a
: an equality in number : deadlock
the game ended in a tie
b
: a contest that ends with an equal score
6
: necktie
tie
2 of 2 verb
tied; tying
ˈtī-iŋ
or tieing
or tieing
1
a
: to fasten, attach, or close by means of a tie
b
: to form a knot or bow in
tie your scarf
2
: to limit the freedom or actions of
responsibilities tied us down
3
a
: to make or have an equal score with in a contest
the two teams tied
b
: to come up with something equal to
tied the score
More from Merriam-Webster on tie
Nglish: Translation of tie for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of tie for Arabic Speakers
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