untie

verb

un·​tie ˌən-ˈtī 

untied; untying or untieing

transitive verb

1

: to free from something that ties, fastens, or restrains : unbind

untied our hands

2

a

: to disengage the knotted parts of

untie a shoe

b

: disentangle, resolve

untie a traffic jam

intransitive verb

: to become loosened or unbound

Synonyms of untie

• unfasten
• undo
• loosen
• unbind

Examples of untie in a Sentence

He untied the package and opened it.

She untied the horse from the post.

Recent Examples on the Web

Even Jones now agrees a special session may be necessary this summer to untie the legal knot. —CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026

More intricate knots can be designed to untie in stages, resulting in sequential movements similar to a gymnastic routine. —Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 23 Apr. 2026

Brashly violent, clattery and pleasingly untied to any direct predecessor, the result is more generic than its braggy auteur claims might promise, but there’s a lot here for gorehounds to feast on. —Guy Lodge, Variety, 16 Apr. 2026

While other contestants achieved varying results by playing it straight, Rhod Gilbert tied up Horne instead, leaving Horne unable to untie the flimsy rope that Gilbert fastened around his own wrists. —Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for untie

• ai
• aye
• bae
• bi
• buy
• by
• bye
• chai
• chi
• cry
• die
• dry

Kids Definition

untie

verb

un·​tie ˌən-ˈtī 

ˈən-

untied; untying or untieing

1

: to free from something that ties or fastens : unbind

untie a horse

2

a

: to undo the knotted parts of

untied her scarf

b

: to straighten out : resolve

untie a traffic jam

3

: to become loosened or unbound

the strings untied easily