TONGUE-TIED Synonyms: 38 Similar and Opposite Words

tongue-tied

adjective

Definition of tongue-tied

as in mute

unable to speak because you are nervous or shy She became tongue-tied whenever he was around. He gets tongue-tied in front of crowds.

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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 tongue-tied But on April 24, Stanford got tongue-tied when asked to explain her position on abolishing ICE. — David Weigel, semafor.com, 18 May 2026 At times, Raman was tongue-tied trying to answer simple questions. — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for tongue-tied

Adjective

The film centers on Wang Wei (Miao), a mysterious mute tradesman who is forced into a violent underworld after his daughter is kidnapped by a Southeast Asian child trafficking syndicate.

— Matt Grobar, Deadline, 22 July 2026
Even Athena, if that genuinely is whom Zendaya is playing, isn’t that helpful, mostly staring at Odysseus in mute dismay.

— Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2026

Definition of mute

Adjective

His friends, from brother Luigi (Charlie Day) to Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy) veer in a similar direction, somehow coming across less fully formed and three-dimensional than their nearly speechless inspirations from Nintendo‘s flagship franchise.

— Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 31 Mar. 2026
In helicopter video taken by Air Maui Helicopter Tours in Lahaina and posted online the people aboard are largely speechless.

— Phil Helsel, NBC News, 10 Aug. 2023

Definition of speechless

Adjective

But when asked to convey human-woman concerns, like a shitty dad, a shitty husband, and a shitty mother-in-law, that intense gaze can become inscrutable, even incomprehensible — a closed door to her interiority instead of a way in.

— Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 15 July 2026
There have been times when acts of atrocity have been going on — and gosh, some of those things are incomprehensible — yet humanity has found a way.

— Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 27 June 2026

Definition of incomprehensible

Adjective

Simpson, butched up and closed off and vibrating with inarticulate pain, is superb in the part, and Jimenez’s rigid shoulders and frozen face are wrenching.

— Sara Holdren, Vulture, 20 May 2026
Yet masculinism also functions as a perpetual-motion machine of grievance, an inarticulate howl of anguish at the status quo—whatever that currently is.

— Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 14 May 2026

Definition of inarticulate

Adjective

England have a great coach and positive momentum after their knockout victories over DR Congo and Mexico, but in both matches, their front press looked incoherent and inconsistent.

— Carl Anka, New York Times, 10 July 2026
Their complaints have been mostly incoherent and illogical, with UEFA's statement in particular being laughably inaccurate.

— Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 7 July 2026

Definition of incoherent

Adjective

The oversized teeth of the character were originally to be used only during silent scenes, but Carrey learned to talk with them on to make his character even more cartoon-like.

— Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 24 July 2026
School is meant to prepare students for the real world, but too many institutions are training kids to be silent.

— Annabelle Garland, The Atlantic, 23 July 2026

Definition of silent

Browse Nearby Words

tongues

tongue-tied

tonic

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Style

“Tongue-tied.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tongue-tied. Accessed 26 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of tongue-tied

adjective

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