tie

1 of 2

verb

tied; tying ˈtī-iŋ How to pronounce tie (audio) or tieing

transitive verb

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

intransitive verb

: 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

tie

2 of 2

noun

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
6
: something that is knotted or is to be knotted when worn: such as
a
b
: a low laced shoe : oxford
tieless adjective
Phrases
tie into
: to attack with vigor
tie one on
slang
: to get drunk
tie the knot
: to perform a marriage ceremony
also : to get married

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
Verb
Sergio García had arrived at the penultimate hole tied for the lead with Tiger Woods in 2013, only to join Mattiace in finding the lake twice. Jack Bantock, CNN, 13 Mar. 2024 Soon after, Bell says, Schneider phoned him asking if the case was tied to the young actor. Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 13 Mar. 2024 Jelly Roll, Wilson, and Ballerini, alongside Megan Moroney and Cody Johnson, all tied for the most nominations this year with three each. Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 13 Mar. 2024 Nursing homes in Pennsylvania and across the country are also lobbying state lawmakers and the federal government to offer extra payments tied to quality outcomes for residents. Harris Meyer, Fortune, 12 Mar. 2024 Liu walked the red carpet in modern suiting from Fendi, swapping the traditional button-down and tie for a low-neck shirt. Cait Bazemore, Robb Report, 11 Mar. 2024 The Nighthawks had two shots at the bucket to tie this thing. Parker Gabriel, The Denver Post, 11 Mar. 2024 Chris Evans and wife Alba Baptista After tying the knot in September 2023, Captain America star Chris Evans and his newlywed wife Alba Baptista arrived at the Vanity Fair Oscars party together. Zoe G Phillips, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Mar. 2024 It is understood that William’s non-attendance was not tied to the news of Kingston’s death, which was revealed publicly on the same day as Constantine’s memorial. Lauren Said-Moorhouse, CNN, 1 Mar. 2024
Noun
The bill would also create a process through which the president can designate certain social media applications with ties to foreign governments as a national security risk. Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 14 Mar. 2024 Several Western brands, including Starbucks, McDonald’s, KFC and Pizza Hut, have faced boycotts in the region by customers who perceive them as supporting or having ties to Israel’s war in Gaza. Krystal Hur, CNN, 14 Mar. 2024 San Francisco ties welfare to drug screening, boosts police powers in stunning tough-on-crime shift The first measure, Proposition E, bolsters police powers in the city. Laurel Rosenhall, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2024 Not only that, but the new U.S.-based TikTok would have to completely cut ties with ByteDance. Matt O'Brien, Fortune, 13 Mar. 2024 Several supporters emphasized that the bill is not an all-out ban, but instead an incentive to force divestment so TikTok can separate its ties to China. Lauren Feiner, The Verge, 13 Mar. 2024 Behind the scenes, however, Trump and his aides have spoken about TikTok to people with direct financial ties to Yass. Jeff Stein, Washington Post, 12 Mar. 2024 That puts the two candidates in a statistical tie, with the Berkeley poll’s margin of error of plus or minus 2x percentage points The survey, conducted Feb. 22 to 27, show that Garvey and Schiff appear to be distancing themselves from the rest of the field. David Lightman, Sacramento Bee, 1 Mar. 2024 The company started to sell Yeezy products again in May 2023 after cutting ties with West in the year prior. Michael Saponara, Billboard, 1 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

Cite this Entry

“Tie.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tie. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

tie

1 of 2 noun
1
: 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

tie

2 of 2 verb
tied; tying ˈtī-iŋ How to pronounce tie (audio) 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

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