as in engaged
involved in often constant activity
we'll be tied-up with work for the next several days
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in hampered
to create difficulty for the work or activity of
an accident is tying up traffic at 5th and Broadway
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 tied-up
Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 7 Jan. 2026
He’s also relentlessly tied up an end and built pressure — something the English bowlers have constantly failed to manage.
—Tim Spiers, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
The relationship between the government and police forces has long been characterized by mistrust, but high-ranking officials are aware that the continued future of their institutions are tied up with Chavismo’s survival.
—Rebecca Hanson, The Conversation, 6 Jan. 2026
Which doesn’t mean that every single plot thread was tied up in a neat bow, as TikTok will undoubtedly be telling us for the next few months (and possibly forever).
—Kate Aurthur, Variety, 2 Jan. 2026
He was punched in the stomach and tied up.
—Sofia Saric, Miami Herald, 30 Dec. 2025
In other words, investors might bail on companies such as Nvidia, Oracle, and CoreWeave, whose fates are deemed too closely tied up with OpenAI’s.
—Sharon Goldman, Fortune, 5 Nov. 2025
Those deployments are tied up in court challenges.
—Kat Lonsdorf, NPR, 3 Nov. 2025
The aid is tied up in the current budget showdown between congressional Republicans and Democrats.
—CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2025
Verb
Getty Images/iStockphoto As retirement approaches, many seniors find themselves with significant equity tied up in their homes but limited liquidity.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 7 Jan. 2026
He’s also relentlessly tied up an end and built pressure — something the English bowlers have constantly failed to manage.
—Tim Spiers, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
The relationship between the government and police forces has long been characterized by mistrust, but high-ranking officials are aware that the continued future of their institutions are tied up with Chavismo’s survival.
—Rebecca Hanson, The Conversation, 6 Jan. 2026
Which doesn’t mean that every single plot thread was tied up in a neat bow, as TikTok will undoubtedly be telling us for the next few months (and possibly forever).
—Kate Aurthur, Variety, 2 Jan. 2026
He was punched in the stomach and tied up.
—Sofia Saric, Miami Herald, 30 Dec. 2025
In other words, investors might bail on companies such as Nvidia, Oracle, and CoreWeave, whose fates are deemed too closely tied up with OpenAI’s.
—Sharon Goldman, Fortune, 5 Nov. 2025
Those deployments are tied up in court challenges.
—Kat Lonsdorf, NPR, 3 Nov. 2025
The aid is tied up in the current budget showdown between congressional Republicans and Democrats.
—CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tied-up
Adjective
-
Try having a musician become engaged for that length of time.—
Karen Taylor Bass,
Billboard,
6 Nov. 2025
-
In the year since their split, Turner has gotten engaged to his new partner, Lana Sutton.—
Brenton Blanchet,
PEOPLE,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
This isn’t the first time injuries have hampered Norfleet.—
Chase Gemes,
Kansas City Star,
7 Nov. 2025
-
All of these issues combined have left Target with a workforce that has grown faster than sales and a complex corporate structure that has hampered decision-making and created needless red tape.—
Gabrielle Fonrouge,Annie Palmer,Frank Holland,
CNBC,
4 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
At 40 of the country’s busiest airports, flights coming and going will be reduced by 10% this week.—
The Kim Komando Show,
FOXNews.com,
8 Nov. 2025
-
The shutdown’s ripple effects spread across nearly every part of the air travel network Friday, with the nation’s busiest airports hit hardest.—
Emma Tucker,
CNN Money,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
When pirating hindered the shipping of gold to Lisbon, Paraty pivoted to farming sugarcane (the basis of cachaça) and later became one of the earliest hubs for coffee growing in a country that is still the globe’s largest exporter of beans.—
David Amsden,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Nov. 2025
-
At an October debate, Bowman tried to portray Pureval as soft on crime and alleged that unspecified initiatives from City Hall had hindered police from doing their jobs.—
Janelle Griffith,
PEOPLE,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
But such diligent injury prevention doesn’t address the root cause of Rec League Dysmorphia.—
Grace Perry,
Outside,
1 Jan. 2026
-
Iran thus has every right to demand that the IAEA be diligent in observing its own procedures and codes of conduct on impartiality, objectivity, confidentiality, and sensitivity to national security concerns in exchange for continued cooperation.—
Mohammad Javad Zarif,
Foreign Affairs,
22 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
As a result, the water vapor in that impeded breath condenses on the surface of your immediately-adjacent prescription glasses, sunglasses or ski goggles.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
5 Jan. 2026
-
Adding palbociclib, however, blocked this adaptation and impeded the cancer cells’ ability to survive.—
Khloe Quill,
FOXNews.com,
31 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
French authorities have arrested several suspects after a frantic manhunt for the men who staged a spectacular daytime heist at the Louvre museum that gripped the world and embarrassed the government in Paris.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
26 Oct. 2025
-
The Revolution provided a brief scare through a 59th-minute goal from Dor Turgeman, who embarrassed a defender before curling home a spectacular effort, but Inter Miami broke the tie almost immediately after the strike that made the score 2-1.—
Franco Panizo,
Miami Herald,
5 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Remain out of the water due to dangerous surf conditions, or stay near occupied lifeguard towers.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Mohammed Ibrahim, a 16-year-old Palestinian-American from Palm Bay, Florida, was arrested by Israeli forces in February 2025 after being accused of throwing rocks at Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.—
Jeremy Diamond,
CNN Money,
30 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tied-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tied-up. Accessed 9 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share