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
The defense agreement permanently tethered the foreign policies of the two countries together, decisively shifting Canada away from its long incorporation in the British Empire.
—
Dónal Gill, The Dial, 28 Oct. 2025
You won't often be tethered to an outlet either, thanks to up to 12 hours of battery life.
—PC Magazine, 16 Oct. 2025
Since it was formed in 1987, Hamas has tethered itself to a hard-line Islamist ideology that does not allow fundamental compromises on issues such as recognition of Israel and the development of Palestine as a secular state.
—Mkhaimar Abusada, The Conversation, 5 Oct. 2025
Once you’re done sucking away all that excess hair, use the detachable clipper to trim the hair without being tethered by a cord.
—Christine Persaud, USA Today, 4 Oct. 2025
Like hundreds of thousands of foreign professionals, Qian lived on an H-1B work visa — the document that tethered her job, her ability to travel, and her entire sense of security to the grace of her employer.
—Anniek Bao, CNBC, 1 Oct. 2025
Because asteroids don't have strong gravity like planets, there's nothing to keep the shapecraft tethered to the floor.
—Tom Brown, Space.com, 21 Sep. 2025
That seemed a small price to pay to be tethered to Vince.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Sep. 2025
Decisions about which exemptions are made—as well as what related direct funding and tax incentives the government deploys—should be tethered to intensive monitoring of exposure to Chinese influence throughout the supply chain.
—Joel Thayer, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025
Dónal Gill, The Dial, 28 Oct. 2025
You won't often be tethered to an outlet either, thanks to up to 12 hours of battery life.
—PC Magazine, 16 Oct. 2025
Since it was formed in 1987, Hamas has tethered itself to a hard-line Islamist ideology that does not allow fundamental compromises on issues such as recognition of Israel and the development of Palestine as a secular state.
—Mkhaimar Abusada, The Conversation, 5 Oct. 2025
Once you’re done sucking away all that excess hair, use the detachable clipper to trim the hair without being tethered by a cord.
—Christine Persaud, USA Today, 4 Oct. 2025
Like hundreds of thousands of foreign professionals, Qian lived on an H-1B work visa — the document that tethered her job, her ability to travel, and her entire sense of security to the grace of her employer.
—Anniek Bao, CNBC, 1 Oct. 2025
Because asteroids don't have strong gravity like planets, there's nothing to keep the shapecraft tethered to the floor.
—Tom Brown, Space.com, 21 Sep. 2025
That seemed a small price to pay to be tethered to Vince.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Sep. 2025
Decisions about which exemptions are made—as well as what related direct funding and tax incentives the government deploys—should be tethered to intensive monitoring of exposure to Chinese influence throughout the supply chain.
—Joel Thayer, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tethered
Verb
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The interface incorporates gamification elements such as badges, achievements, and cocktail discovery missions tied to different locations.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
7 Jan. 2026
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That’s the difference between having a mere below-average QB versus an awful one tied to your receiver.—
Michael Salfino,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Viewers were able to see the hilarious shot of Jinky in the bath quickly cut to a very telling scene of the same dog bounding into a marshland or small lake, tail wagging, body splashing through mud and water in total ecstasy.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Nov. 2025
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District 2 is bounded by Five Mile Road to the west, Franklin Road to the south, and the Interstate-184 Connector to the east.—
Idaho Statesman,
Idaho Statesman,
5 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tethered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tethered. Accessed 8 Jan. 2026.
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