black-tie

1 of 2

adjective

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

black tie

2 of 2

noun

: semiformal clothing
gentlemen in black tie for the banquet

Examples of black-tie in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
Playing into the formal black-tie feel of the night, Meghan Markle rolled up to the festivities wearing a demure—but very chic—black ensemble. Christian Allaire, Vogue, 9 Nov. 2025 On Wednesday, Bal Harbour Shops, located at 9700 Collins Avenue in the northern tip of Miami Beach, celebrated its 60th anniversary with a black-tie party for nearly 1,000 guests. David Moin, Footwear News, 6 Nov. 2025
Noun
The annual black tie event raises funds to help mothers and children living in poverty. Latoya Gayle, PEOPLE, 10 Nov. 2025 Bongiovi wore a red, velvet suit with a skinny black tie to the premiere and the after-party. Janelle Ash, FOXNews.com, 8 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for black-tie

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1933, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1951, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of black-tie was in 1933

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Black-tie.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/black-tie. Accessed 15 Nov. 2025.

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