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
Maddie Topliff, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Jan. 2026
Color and effortless glamour fill this region’s wedding palette, from barefoot beach ceremonies to black-tie glamorous ballroom affairs.
—Anton Lucanus, Miami Herald, 27 Jan. 2026
Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 27 Jan. 2026
Below, guests in black tie waltzed across a custom checkerboard dance floor beneath a canopy of white ostrich feathers and crystal.
—Lisa A. Beach, Southern Living, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for black-tie
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Adjective
Remember to Slow Down Après-ski is not a black-tie affair.
—Maddie Topliff, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Jan. 2026
Color and effortless glamour fill this region’s wedding palette, from barefoot beach ceremonies to black-tie glamorous ballroom affairs.
—Anton Lucanus, Miami Herald, 27 Jan. 2026
Noun
Brady paired the watch with a dark-colored coat, button-down shirt and a black tie.
—Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 27 Jan. 2026
Below, guests in black tie waltzed across a custom checkerboard dance floor beneath a canopy of white ostrich feathers and crystal.
—Lisa A. Beach, Southern Living, 23 Jan. 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 1 Feb. 2026.
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