variants
or less commonly black tie
: characterized by or requiring the wearing of semiformal evening clothes consisting of a usually black tie and tuxedo for men and a formal dress for women
a black-tie dinner
compare white-tie
: semiformal clothing
gentlemen in black tie for the banquet
Examples of black-tie in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Casey Delbasso, ABC News, 16 Mar. 2026
The pair stepped out at the 98th Academy Awards in black-tie looks.
—Christina Perrier, InStyle, 15 Mar. 2026
Laura French, TheWeek, 18 Mar. 2026
The Eternity actor looked dapper in a gray button-down shirt, double-breasted suit jacket, wide-leg trousers, black tie, and matching dress shoes.
—Christina Perrier, InStyle, 16 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for black-tie
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Adjective
Best supporting actor nominees Jacob Elordi, Delroy Lindo and Benicio Del Toro delivered a masterclass in modern black-tie.
—Casey Delbasso, ABC News, 16 Mar. 2026
The pair stepped out at the 98th Academy Awards in black-tie looks.
—Christina Perrier, InStyle, 15 Mar. 2026
Noun
Brazilian celebrities and politicians are known to frequent this exceptionally lavish event, with a black tie, long-dress dress code; tickets start from £600 and go into the thousands.
—Laura French, TheWeek, 18 Mar. 2026
The Eternity actor looked dapper in a gray button-down shirt, double-breasted suit jacket, wide-leg trousers, black tie, and matching dress shoes.
—Christina Perrier, InStyle, 16 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for black-tie
Cite this Entry
“Black-tie.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/black-tie. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.
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