tie-in

1 of 2

noun

1
: something that ties in, relates, or connects especially in a promotional campaign
2
: a book that inspired or was inspired by a movie or television program

tie in

2 of 2

verb

tied in; tying in or tieing in; ties in

transitive verb

: to bring into connection with something relevant: such as
a
: to make the final connection of
tied in the new branch pipeline
b
: to coordinate in such a manner as to produce balance and unity
the illustrations were tied in with the text
c
: to use as a tie-in especially in advertising

intransitive verb

: to become tied in

Examples of tie-in in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
There’s a parade of VHS covers, marketing materials, merchandising tie-ins, declining box office reports, and inevitably, a flurry of blogs both detailing the series’ homophobia and transphobia, and attempting to reclaim it. Jessica Kiang, Variety, 13 May 2026 This American Doctor tie-in marks follows Empire and Watermelon Pictures’ collaboration on Palestine 36. Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 13 May 2026
Verb
Labour and Reform tied in a distant second place. ABC News, 9 May 2026 The items included a double-breasted waistcoat and a black silk neckerchief tied in a bowknot, more indicative of what would be worn by a steward or officer’s servant, as well as a clothes brush. ArsTechnica, 8 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for tie-in

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1925, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1793, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of tie-in was in 1793

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tie-in.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tie-in. Accessed 14 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

tie in

verb
(ˈ)tī-ˈin
1
: to bring into connection with something
2
: to become connected
illustrations that tie in with the text
tie-in
ˈtī-ˌin
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on tie-in

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster