as in tied
to attach (someone or something) to something else by or as if by means of a line or cord
I tethered the boat to the dock before coming ashore.
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Recent Examples of tethered
Even when Sam and Mary are no longer speaking, they are still tethered together by deep resentment and pain.
—
Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2026
But the best of these good-versus-evil narratives, like in these eight series, can connect one generation to the next, introducing kids to the world’s complexity and keeping grown-ups tethered to the wonder of their childhood selves.
—David Faris, TheWeek, 20 Apr. 2026
Murray made three throws in the first quarter to keep the Nuggets tethered after a miserable 6-for-22 effort from the field.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 19 Apr. 2026
Other places have further laws restricting being tethered, such as Wichita, Kansas’ requirement that dogs must stay inside for at least three hours after each hour of being tethered outside.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 17 Apr. 2026
Life moves on, grief stays tethered.
—Literary Hub, 13 Apr. 2026
Though the platforms will float, they still must be tethered to the seafloor.
—Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026
The team tethered the crustaceans to posts at varying times of the year and at varying depths of Maryland’s Rhode River, a tidal estuary in Chesapeake Bay.
—Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 16 Mar. 2026
Instead of planning a regular viaduct-style bridge, with columns buried in the seabed, civil engineering pioneer Thomas Telford planned a structure that floated above the strait, tethered to the land on each side.
—Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 14 Mar. 2026
Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2026
But the best of these good-versus-evil narratives, like in these eight series, can connect one generation to the next, introducing kids to the world’s complexity and keeping grown-ups tethered to the wonder of their childhood selves.
—David Faris, TheWeek, 20 Apr. 2026
Murray made three throws in the first quarter to keep the Nuggets tethered after a miserable 6-for-22 effort from the field.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 19 Apr. 2026
Other places have further laws restricting being tethered, such as Wichita, Kansas’ requirement that dogs must stay inside for at least three hours after each hour of being tethered outside.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 17 Apr. 2026
Life moves on, grief stays tethered.
—Literary Hub, 13 Apr. 2026
Though the platforms will float, they still must be tethered to the seafloor.
—Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026
The team tethered the crustaceans to posts at varying times of the year and at varying depths of Maryland’s Rhode River, a tidal estuary in Chesapeake Bay.
—Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 16 Mar. 2026
Instead of planning a regular viaduct-style bridge, with columns buried in the seabed, civil engineering pioneer Thomas Telford planned a structure that floated above the strait, tethered to the land on each side.
—Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 14 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tethered
Verb
-
The Going There author and Monahan tied the knot in 1989.—
Kimberlee Speakman,
PEOPLE,
1 May 2026
-
His 41 wins were tied for the third-most in franchise history by a coach in their first year with the team, and his 98 points tied a franchise record for most points accumulated by a coach in their first year.—
Garrett Behanna,
CBS News,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
The project area is bounded by the Midlothian Turnpike, Central Avenue, 147th Street and Lamon Avenue.—
Evy Lewis,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
-
After all, in Game 3, Banchero made a game-clinching 3 in the final minute that bounded high off the back of the rim and miraculously fell through.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tethered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tethered. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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