tethering

verb

present participle of tether
as in tying
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.

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of tethering This lockbox is compact enough to fit in a carry-on bag or weekender tote, and has a tethering cable to affix it to a secure object. — Aly Walansky, Travel + Leisure, 14 June 2026 In contrast, the Retire Sooner Method maintains the spirit of the pursuit of freedom without tethering itself to overly aggressive tactics. — Wes Moss, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026 Each spark tethering to the next, seamlessly flying without a net and yet somehow fully course-corrected. — Natasha Lyonne, Time, 15 Apr. 2026 By tethering the livelihood of these workers to divisive debates over sanctuary policies, the Democrats have prioritized political optics over the basic welfare of the American worker. — Paul Vallas, Chicago Tribune, 23 Mar. 2026 Disrupting airports by tethering the pay of airport security screeners to the tumult of Washington politics is untenable. — The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 22 Mar. 2026 Colonel Parker, Elvis’s manager, kept his cash cow on a leash, tethering him first to middling B-pictures, then to casinos. — Amy Nicholson, Twin Cities, 28 Feb. 2026 Colonel Parker, Elvis’s manager, kept his cash cow on a leash, tethering him first to middling B-pictures, then to casinos. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2026 The policy includes other restrictions as well, such as bans on tethering during weather advisories or at night. — David Clarey, jsonline.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tethering
  1. tying
  2. binding
  3. lashing
Verb
  • One of the two men accused of zip-tying and holding hostage two national forest employees last week had a violent criminal charge dismissed because of overcrowding in the state’s mental health facilities, a Washington prosecutor said.
    — Mirna Alsharif, NBC news, 21 July 2026
  • Just a fraction of an inch can separate a player from hitting a flyball to left field and, say, tying a franchise record for career home runs.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 21 July 2026
Definition of tying
Verb
  • Knowing their days of bloodline privilege are numbered, the German and the French aristocrat bond, their class affinities binding them more tightly than the uniforms that separate them.
    — Thomas Doherty, HollywoodReporter, 18 July 2026
  • Marcel Proust, Paul Bourget, and Guy de Maupassant, alongside royalty, diplomats, and politicians, are guests at the salon of their spell-binding mother, born Louise Morpurgo in Trieste.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 July 2026
Definition of binding
Verb
  • Relentless rains were lashing Texas Hill Country on Thursday, with flash flood emergencies reported across the region, rescues ongoing and waters rising to deadly levels.
    — Molly Hennessy-Fiske, Washington Post, 16 July 2026
  • Julian Quinones — Mexico/Al Qadsiah (-7) Quinones took his World Cup goal tally to four by lashing a loose ball into the roof of the net against England.
    — Liam Twomey, New York Times, 16 July 2026
Definition of lashing

Browse Nearby Words

tethered
tethering
tethers
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tethering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tethering. Accessed 23 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on tethering

Nglish: Translation of tethering for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of maverick

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 24

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?
See More

Popular

See More

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
thumbnail graphic with text word of the day quiz
Weekly "Word of the Day" Quiz See how well you know each Word of the Day for Ju...
See All