tie

verb

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\ ˈtī

tied; tying\ ˈtī-iŋ

\ or tieing

Definition of tie

(Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

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

intransitive verb

: 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

: to attack with vigor

tie one on

slang

: to get drunk

tie the knot

: to perform a marriage ceremony also : to get married

tie

noun

Definition 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

6 : something that is knotted or is to be knotted when worn: such as

a : necktie

b : a low laced shoe : oxford

Other Words from tie Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Learn More about tie

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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 Tutu Atwell caught that touchdown pass, tying the school record with 12 single-season touchdowns, but that was all Atwell could do against the Kentucky secondary. — Cameron Teague Robinson, The Courier-Journal, "What we learned from Kentucky vs. Louisville: Kentucky's defense proves it is indeed elite," 30 Nov. 2019 Preston Crawford got the drive started with runs of 16 and 17 yards and Pankau hit Cooper Smith for 19 yards, setting up Crawford's tying touchdown with 4:35 left in the first quarter. — Chip Souza, Arkansas Online, "PHOTOS: North Little Rock pounds Bentonville," 30 Nov. 2019 Zavier Simpson had 13 points and tied his own Atlantis tournament record with 13 assists. — Aaron Beard, chicagotribune.com, "Michigan crushes No. 8 Gonzaga 82-64 to win Battle 4 Atlantis title," 29 Nov. 2019 Also this year, five tropical cyclones formed in the Gulf of Mexico, which ties a record with 2003 and 1957 for the most storms to form in that region. — Doyle Rice, USA TODAY, "Ferocious hurricane season that saw 18 named storms comes to an end," 28 Nov. 2019 Last year, boats killed 119 manatees, tying the record. — David Fleshler, sun-sentinel.com, "Manatees pour into Broward County as weather cools," 26 Nov. 2019 The pop singer and 7th Heaven actor first got together in 2007 and eventually tied the knot in October 2012. — Christopher Rosa, Glamour, "Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel's Relationship: A Complete Timeline," 26 Nov. 2019 The 70 points was a program postseason single-game record and tied a program single-game record for any game. — Elliott Lapin, Houston Chronicle, "Football: Prieto proud of Cougars’ perseverance after playoff loss," 24 Nov. 2019 LaVine finished 17 for 28 from the field, including 13 of 17 from three-point range, tying the NBA record for three-pointers made in a game. — Joe Freeman, oregonlive, "Portland Trail Blazers vs. Chicago Bulls: Game preview, TV channel, how to watch live stream," 24 Nov. 2019 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun His junior college ties would be a plus at Missouri, too. — John Talty | Jtalty@al.com, al, "Ranking the 3 open SEC jobs and best fits for each," 2 Dec. 2019 As party leader, Fujimori helped fuel the impeachment of former President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski for lying about his ties with Odebrecht. — Washington Post, "Peru’s Keiko Fujimori leaves prison after top court ruling," 30 Nov. 2019 He has been attacked over his past employment at McKinsey & Company, the international consulting firm, and his ties to Mark Zuckerberg, the C.E.O. of Facebook. — Mark Leibovich, New York Times, "2020 Democratic Candidates Wage Escalating Fight (on the Merits of Fighting)," 30 Nov. 2019 At the time, some environmentalists criticized his close ties to some of the industries that the EPA regulated. — Gene Johnson, USA TODAY, "Ruckelshaus, who defied Nixon in Watergate firing, dies," 28 Nov. 2019 At the time, some environmentalists criticized his close ties to some of the industries that the EPA regulated. — Gene Johnson, Indianapolis Star, "William Ruckelshaus, Indianapolis native who defied Nixon in Watergate firing, dies," 27 Nov. 2019 At the time, some environmentalists criticized his close ties to some of the industries that the EPA regulated. — Gene Johnson, SFChronicle.com, "William Ruckelshaus, who defied Nixon in Watergate firing, dies," 27 Nov. 2019 In addition to his ties to New Mexico, Gonzales spent seven years as an assistant at San Diego State, where he was promoted to defensive coordinator in 2017. — Michelle Gardner, azcentral, "ASU defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales not going to jump on first offer," 27 Nov. 2019 Teamsters Teamster’ Hoffa became a household name in the late 1950s, when Robert F. Kennedy, then serving as chief counsel for the Senate Rackets Committee, publicly grilled him about his mob ties. — David Scott Witwer, The Conversation, "Jimmy Hoffa disappeared – and then his legacy took on a life of its own," 26 Nov. 2019

These 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.

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Dictionary Entries near tie

tidy away

tidy tips

tidy up after (someone)

Statistics for tie

Last Updated

4 Dec 2019

Cite this Entry

“Tie.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tieless. Accessed 7 December 2019.

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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

noun

English 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