tether

1 of 2

noun

teth·​er ˈte-t͟hər How to pronounce tether (audio)
1
a
: a line (as of rope or chain) by which an animal is fastened so as to restrict its range of movement
b
: a line to which someone or something is attached (as for security)
A crewman can clip the tether of his harness to the [safety line] and leave it clipped as he makes his way forward and aft.Michael A. Smith
2
: the limit of one's strength or resources
I'm at the end of my tether.

tether

2 of 2

verb

tethered; tethering ˈte-t͟h(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce tether (audio)

transitive verb

: to fasten or restrain by or as if by a tether
felt tethered to her desk until the work was done

Examples of tether in a Sentence

Verb They tethered the horses in the shade. The dog was tethered to the fence.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Joel asks the doctor before the big deletion, rightfully anxious about maintaining his tether to reality. Chris Richards, Washington Post, 8 Mar. 2024 The one stain on an otherwise comfortable fit was the fact that Vision Pro has a battery pack attached by a tether. Samuel Axon, Ars Technica, 6 June 2023 In 1908, Schoenberg premiered the Second String Quartet, his boldest step thus far toward breaking the tethers of tonality—the musical language of major and minor scales and keys that had been around for centuries. Anthony Tommasini, The Atlantic, 27 Nov. 2023 The central love story, instead, is between the mother (an ambitious, academic, upper-middle-class woman) and her child—not so much a burden but a blessing, both a tether to the demanding, practical world and a vessel for enlightenment that transcends it. Vogue, 30 Dec. 2023 Delinquent youth would be subject to verbal intimidation, forced marches and living conditions unfit for livestock in an effort to correct the behavior that had brought their parents—parents who could afford to pay $16,000 in 1989 dollars for a 63-day program—to the end of their tethers. John Anderson, WSJ, 26 Dec. 2023 Key’s more anguished figures also feel the tug of tethers, often to bleak systems of incarceration. Stephen Kearse, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2023 The devices are then picked up all together with a tool that’s like an ink stamp, breaking the tethers. Roel Baets, IEEE Spectrum, 8 Apr. 2023 For Bonin, the external light source has its pros and cons, including higher intensity light and the possibility that a tether could affect behavior, respectively. IEEE Spectrum, 1 Nov. 2023
Verb
Moreover, the pervasive nature of digital technology means that we’re constantly tethered to our devices, leading to a state of perpetual alertness and hypervigilance. Georgia Day, Glamour, 8 Mar. 2024 Bringing the show indoors is better for the audience and cast, some of whom are asked to dive from 60-foot-high platforms or rhythmically perform while tethered overhead. David Dickstein, Orange County Register, 2 Feb. 2024 The movie is in contradiction with itself; the aspiration to a quasi-analytical, nearly forensic analysis of events having wider roots in civic life is divided from the specifics that, precisely, would tether the characters to the world around them. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 1 Feb. 2024 Wealthy states like the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia tethered potential investment in Gaza’s reconstruction to the revival of a political track that would lead to the creation of an independent Palestinian state. Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 27 Feb. 2024 The Best Superhero Book Right Now Birds of Prey Writer: Kelly Thompson, Artist: Leonardo Romero: Publisher: DC Birds of Prey has had many incarnations over the decades since the title first appeared in the 1990s, tethered to Black Canary and other Gotham City characters. Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Dec. 2023 Those who were not tethered to one location and dreamed of living in interesting and exciting locations, from within the United States to around the world, adopted digital nomad lifestyles. Jack Kelly, Forbes, 14 Feb. 2024 Energy policy watchdog organizations, however, are concerned that the bill amounts to a sweetheart deal for utility and gas companies that will keep the state tethered to gas combustion. Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 13 Feb. 2024 Some companies that had flexible policies during the pandemic, have tried tethering office attendance to performance reviews, while others have threatened to fire those who don’t come in often enough. Danielle Abril, Washington Post, 2 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tether.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English tethir, teder, probably of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse tjōthr tether; akin to Old High German zeotar pole of a wagon

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tether was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near tether

Cite this Entry

“Tether.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tether. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

tether

1 of 2 noun
teth·​er ˈtet͟h-ər How to pronounce tether (audio)
: a line by which something (as an animal or a balloon) is fastened so as to limit its range

tether

2 of 2 verb
tethered; tethering ˈtet͟h-(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce tether (audio)
: to fasten or hold with or as if with a tether
felt tethered to my desk
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