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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tongue-tied
Adjective
-
Millions of Democrats in Texas, Republicans in California and partisans in other states have been effectively disenfranchised, their voices rendered mute.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Mar. 2026 -
Atkin rotates uphill, alley oop, in the opposite direction to the natural flow of the pipe, and spins 540 degrees (one and a half rotations) before finishing with a mute grab.—
Charlotte Harpur,
New York Times,
21 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
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
-
Because his work, as is often the case, leaves us almost speechless.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
10 Jan. 2023
Adjective
-
By dismissing shooters as incomprehensible villains, Peterson says, families and communities may miss warning signs in the young people around them.—
Brit McCandless Farmer,
CBS News,
2 Mar. 2026
-
The crime thriller featured Benicio Del Toro’s breakout role as the incomprehensible low-level criminal Fred Fenster.—
David Canfield,
HollywoodReporter,
17 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Recent years have been boom times for language that is inarticulate on purpose.—
Megan Garber,
The Atlantic,
24 Feb. 2026
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There are a few inarticulate screams and sobs but no dialogue, no lyrics, no spoken intro, no utterances at all.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Spinning off Truth Social following the merger would further fragment an already incoherent corporate structure with no clear strategic logic connecting cryptocurrency, fusion energy, and social media platforms.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Mar. 2026
-
The real problem with Jessica, however, is how incoherent her motivation is.—
Louis Peitzman,
Vulture,
27 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The Constitution is simply silent on this question.—
Boston Herald editorial staff,
Boston Herald,
27 Feb. 2026
-
Carvalho, who is typically the public face of the school system, has been silent.—
Howard Blume,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Tongue-tied.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tongue-tied. Accessed 4 Mar. 2026.
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