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
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Adjective
Rendered in satin, the $1,290 silhouette moves easily from black-tie rotation to a trend palette. Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 10 Sep. 2025 His black-tie ensembles and glittering gowns often stole the spotlight on red carpets during awards season, cementing his place as a versatile designer. Amber Corrine, VIBE.com, 4 Sep. 2025
Noun
Kristen Bell at the 2025 SAG Awards, Natasha Rothwell at the 2025 Spirit Awards and Sennott at the 2025 Oscars also jokingly — perhaps not entirely — confessed to popping blockers before staring down ballrooms filled with black ties and gowns. Benjamin Svetkey, HollywoodReporter, 10 Sep. 2025 The Office alum, 45, sported a dark grey glen plaid suit, with a coordinating vest, a black tie and black patent leather loafers. Hedy Phillips, People.com, 9 Sep. 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 18 Sep. 2025.

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