SINCE 1828
tie
verb
\ ˈtī
\
\
tied;
tying\ ˈtī-iŋ
\
or tieing
\
or tieing
Definition of tie
(Entry 1 of 2)
1a
: to fasten, attach, or close by means of a tie
b
: to form a knot or bow in
tie your scarf
c
: to make by tying constituent elements
tied a wreath tie a fishing fly
2a
: to place or establish in relationship : connect
b
: to unite in marriage
c
: to unite (musical notes) by a tie
d
: to join (power systems) electrically
3
: to restrain from independence or freedom of action or choice : constrain by or as if by authority, influence, agreement, or obligation
4a(1)
: to make or have an equal score with in a contest
(2)
: to equalize (the score) in a game or contest
(3)
: to equalize the score of (a game)
b
: to provide or offer something equal to : equal
: to make a tie: such as
a
: to make a bond or connection
b
: to make an equal score
c
: to become attached
d
: to close by means of a tie
tie into
tie one on
tie the knot
: to attack with vigor
slang
: to get drunk
: to perform a marriage ceremony
also
: to get married
tie
nounDefinition of tie (Entry 2 of 2)
1a
: a line, ribbon, or cord used for fastening, uniting, or drawing something closed
especially
: shoelace
b(1)
: a structural element (such as a rod or angle iron) holding two pieces together : a tension member in a construction
(2)
: any of the transverse supports to which railroad rails are fastened to keep them in line
2
: something that serves as a connecting link: such as
a
: a moral or legal obligation to someone or something typically constituting a restraining power, influence, or duty
b
: a bond of kinship or affection
3
: a curved line that joins two musical notes of the same pitch to denote a single tone sustained through the time value of the two
4a
: an equality in number (as of votes or scores)
b
: equality in a contest
also
: a contest that ends in a draw
5
: a method or style of tying or knotting
Keep scrolling for more
Other Words from tie
Noun
tieless
\ ˈtī-ləs
\
adjective
\
adjective
Synonyms & Antonyms for tie
Synonyms: Verb
Synonyms: Noun
dead heat, draw, stalemate, standoff
Antonyms: Verb
Visit the Thesaurus for More
Examples of tie in a Sentence
Verb
His kidnappers tied him to a chair. She tied a scarf around her neck. She tied knots in the rope. You need to tie your shoe. His hands and feet had been tied together. She tied the apron loosely around her waist. The team still has a chance to tie. I had the lead but he tied me by making a birdie on the last hole. Her time tied the world record. He tied the school's record in the high jump.Noun
He was wearing a suit and tie. You have a spot on your tie. The pants have a tie at the top. He was not ready to accept the ties of family life.
Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
As for the holistic approach, Pollak points out that the skin, being our largest organ, is inextricably tied to whole-body health. — Prue Lewington, Harper's BAZAAR, "Women Are Giving Up Botox for Facial Massage," 23 May 2019 The bank said in the Friday filing that the increase is tied to a variety of matters. ... — Patrick Thomas, WSJ, "Wells Fargo Raises Estimate of Possible Losses From Legal Action," 3 May 2019 Protein is a must for making meals filling and satisfying, and lean sources are tied to healthier blood pressure levels. — Marygrace Taylor, Woman's Day, "4 Heart-Healthy Diet Changes Every Woman Should Make," 1 May 2019 The latest installment of CAOS has offered up so many great soundtrack moments, including some that were tied heavily to the show’s storyline. — Jessica Macleish, Teen Vogue, "The Best Musical Moments from "Chilling Adventures of Sabrina" Part 2," 9 Apr. 2019 Whereas Google's Stadia gaming service announced last week is tied very explicitly into the potential for interactive YouTube ads, Apple Arcade doesn't care about your gaming habits or share them with publishers. — Eric Limer, Popular Mechanics, "How Many Subscriptions Can You Handle?," 25 Mar. 2019 November contained a flurry of Fortnite activity, starting with the first substantial map change not tied to a seasonal turnover. — Andrew Webster, The Verge, "The year in Fortnite," 18 Dec. 2018 Chassis maintenance includes new ball joints and tie-rod ends plus fresh bushings for the lower control arms, sway bar, and tension rod. — Andrew Wendler, Car and Driver, "Lime-Yellow 1973 Datsun 240Z up for Auction Is the Cleanest We've Seen outside a Museum," 12 May 2019 Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner may have already tied the knot in a Las Vegas ceremony, but that’s not stopping them from having the European wedding of their dreams. — De Elizabeth, Teen Vogue, "Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner Will Reportedly Have a Second Wedding in Europe," 4 May 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
Most know Maddie as a member of the original Dance Moms cast, often receiving backlash for her close ties to Abby Lee Miller. — Mackenzie Dunn, Woman's Day, "Maddie Ziegler's Net Worth Is More Than You'd Expect," 25 May 2019 The media mogul has some ties to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, after attending their royal wedding last year and co-creating a series about mental health with them for Apple. — Erica Gonzales, Harper's BAZAAR, "Oprah Already Knows What Gift She's Giving Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's Royal Baby," 1 May 2019 John Barry's law firm, Kimmelman, Wolff and Samson, reportedly had close ties to the Christie administration, and particularly to the state's gambling industry. — Chloe Foussianes, Town & Country, "Maryanne Trump Barry and Donald Trump Seem to Lead Different Lives—But Their Stories Are Intertwined," 16 Apr. 2019 Francesco Molinari, Jason Day, Brooks Koepka, Adam Scott and Louis Oosthuizen created the first five-way tie for the lead going into the weekend at the Masters. — Doug Ferguson, The Seattle Times, "Tiger makes a Masters logjam look even larger," 13 Apr. 2019 The new diplomatic ties between North and South Korea showed signs of unraveling Friday, as Pyongyang abruptly vacated a liaison office established six months ago as a symbol of cross-border cooperation. — Timothy W. Martin, WSJ, "North Korea Pulls Out of Liaison Office With South," 22 Mar. 2019 However, a new charge against Cohen last week suggested the ties with Trump might run deeper than the president would like people to think. — Emily Bloch, Teen Vogue, "The Russia Investigation Is Almost Over. Here's What You Need to Know," 8 Dec. 2018 The sequined belt at the waist ties it all together. — Erica Gonzales, Harper's BAZAAR, "Kate Middleton Looks Like a Real-Life Cinderella in This Sparkly Jenny Packham Gown at the Diplomatic Reception," 4 Dec. 2018 Son is the Silicon Valley name with the most substantial business ties to the Saudis — $45 billion through their joint investing effort, the Vision Fund — and SoftBank has said very little about the unfolding situation in its backer’s borders. — Theodore Schleifer, Recode, "On the eve of the Saudi economic summit, we’re about to see just how damaged they are in Silicon Valley," 23 Oct. 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'tie.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Keep scrolling for more
Learn More about tie
From the Editors at Merriam-Webster
Why Do People Give Ties for Father's...
Why Do People Give Ties for Father's Day?
The history of the necktie
Dictionary Entries near tie
Statistics for tie
Last Updated
5 Jun 2019
Look-up Popularity
Time Traveler for tie
The first known use of tie was before the 12th century
Keep scrolling for more
More Definitions for tie
tie
verb
English Language Learners Definition of tie
(Entry 1 of 2)
: to attach (someone or something) to something with a string, rope, etc.
: to pass (something, such as a string, ribbon, or rope) around itself in a way that attaches it to something or holds it in place : to make a knot or bow in (something)
: to close or hold (something) with a string, rope, etc., that is attached to it or wrapped around it
tie
nounEnglish Language Learners Definition of tie (Entry 2 of 2)
: a piece of string, ribbon, cord, etc., that is used for fastening, joining, or closing something
: something (such as an idea, interest, experience, or feeling) that is shared by people or groups and that forms a connection between them
: a responsibility that limits a person's freedom to do other things
See the full definition for tie in the English Language Learners Dictionary
tie
noun
\ ˈtī
\
\
Kids Definition of tie
(Entry 1 of 2)
1
: necktie
2
: an equality in number (as of votes or scores)
The game ended in a tie.
3
: a contest that ends with an equal score
They finished the season with six wins and two ties.
4
: one of the cross supports to which railroad rails are fastened
5
: a connecting link : bond
family ties
6
: a line, ribbon, or cord used for fastening, joining, or closing
7
: a part (as a beam or rod) holding two pieces together
tie
verb
tied;
tying\ ˈtī-iŋ \
or tieing
Kids Definition of tie (Entry 2 of 2)
1
: to fasten, attach, or close by means of a tie
2
: to form a knot or bow in
3
: to bring together firmly : unite
They are tied by marriage.
4
: to hold back from freedom of action
Obligations tied her down.
5
: to make or have an equal score with in a contest
Keep scrolling for more
Comments on tie
What made you want to look up tie? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Test Your Vocabulary
Finance Words Quiz
-
- The etymology of mortgage is related most closely to which two words?
Test your visual vocabulary with our 10-question challenge!
TAKE THE QUIZ
Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Words at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games
Share tie
Resources for tie