tying up

variants or tieing up
present participle of tie up

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 tying up Nearly 40% of calls handled by Sacramento’s emergency medical services system were non-emergencies, tying up ambulances and paramedics, delaying urgent medical responses and adding nearly $5 million in costs to the city, according to a city audit. Reeti Malhotra may 29, Sacbee.com, 29 May 2026 As many spread awareness to avoid tying up a dog outside, Ezra's owner is hoping someone can help. Sarah Horbacewicz, CBS News, 19 May 2026 Thirty seconds later, Faber’s shot from the point ticked off Heiskanen’s glove and past Oettinger, tying up the game 1-1. Michael Russo, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2026 Mubadala has recently become one of the most aggressive Gulf sovereign wealth funds, embarking on a dealmaking spree, tying up with some of the biggest names in global finance, and taking a more active role leading on investments rather than being a passive capital provider. Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 9 Apr. 2026 This online collection included images of mutilation and tying up women with ropes, two things prosecutors said are consistent with injuries inflicted on Mack and how she was bound, officials said. Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 7 Apr. 2026 Massachusetts authorities are searching for an armed suspect accused of robbing a $20 million mansion and tying up a housekeeper in an elaborate heist. Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 31 Mar. 2026 Running this kind of detection locally on an NPU also offers the obvious advantage of avoiding tying up the usual system resources by offloading to the neural processor. John Burek, PC Magazine, 25 Mar. 2026 That high mortgage payment reduces monthly cash flow, tying up more income that might otherwise be used for other investments. Jeff Lazerson, Oc Register, 26 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tying up
Verb
  • Florida’s sanctuary city laws forbid local governments from impeding ICE from doing its job, such as by not sharing information with the federal government.
    Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 26 June 2026
  • Fifteen people, most of them Minnesotans, were arrested and charged last week, accused of impeding Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations.
    Esme Murphy, CBS News, 25 June 2026
Verb
  • The sanctions are hampering work on a broad array of investigations at the court.
    ABC News, ABC News, 19 June 2026
  • Winds of up to 50 mph stoked the flames and severely limited the fire response by hampering boat and aircraft access to the remote island.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 June 2026
Verb
  • This raises concerns as companies reduce entry-level hiring, hindering the development of crucial tacit knowledge.
    Juliette Han, Forbes.com, 27 June 2026
  • Over the decades the O’odham placed some barbed wire along the border to keep livestock from straying into the neighboring country, limiting the spread of maladies such as foot-and-mouth disease and hindering cattle thieves.
    Geraldo L. Cadava, The Atlantic, 20 June 2026
Verb
  • The moms aren’t embarrassing their kids.
    Michelle Sobel, Fortune, 23 June 2026
  • Several other policy changes led to blowback from the public and Starmer was forced to make a series of embarrassing U-turns that provided political capital for opponents and fed beliefs that the prime minister didn’t stand for much.
    ABC News, ABC News, 23 June 2026
Verb
  • The skill most likely holding back your influence isn't a missing tactic.
    Kwame Christian Esq, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026
  • One of the few signs of contraction in the Nevada labor economy came in government jobs, which fell over the past year, holding back what would have been an even stronger expansion.
    Alex Harring, CNBC, 19 June 2026
Verb
  • Within Venezuela, activists have accused authorities of obstructing relief efforts.
    Manuel Rueda, NPR, 27 June 2026
  • The passenger rail service said that eight cars and two locomotives derailed after striking the dump truck that was obstructing the crossing.
    The Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 25 June 2026
Verb
  • Who else was astute enough to recognize the potential of a Sun Devil when handicapping hypothetical mascot fights?
    Ralph D. Russo, New York Times, 2 June 2026
  • Because no one knows with clarity how things will proceed from here, handicapping the market becomes an exercise in watching for extreme conditions to develop that price in enough potential economic disruption to generate a cushion against further downside surprises.
    Michael Santoli, CNBC, 30 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Tying up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tying%20up. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.

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