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
Ian King, CNBC, 17 June 2026
The Beards are among the most prestigious awards in the food world, and the black-tie awards ceremony is equal parts nerves and excitement for attendees.
—Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 17 June 2026
Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 18 June 2026
Firth wore a classic black suit with a white shirt and black tie.
—Meg Walters, InStyle, 6 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for black-tie
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Adjective
The lunchtime event is long gone, replaced in 2021 by a black-tie dinner for which participants will have to wait until September, but the latest pan-European awards were published yesterday.
—Ian King, CNBC, 17 June 2026
The Beards are among the most prestigious awards in the food world, and the black-tie awards ceremony is equal parts nerves and excitement for attendees.
—Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 17 June 2026
Noun
The actor, 50, wore a single-breasted gray suit, a white shirt, black tie and black shoes.
—Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 18 June 2026
Firth wore a classic black suit with a white shirt and black tie.
—Meg Walters, InStyle, 6 June 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 21 Jun. 2026.
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