ENGLISH THESAURUS & DICTIONARY

tie

noun · verb

Words like tie

Compare the definitions to choose the right meaning.

120 words · noun, verbSort by

Synonymnoun / verb

Synonymverb

Synonymverb

Synonymverb

Synonymnoun / verb

Synonymverb

Synonymnoun

Synonymnoun

Synonymverb

Synonymnoun

Synonymnoun

Synonymverb

Synonymnoun

Synonymnoun

Synonymnoun

Synonymverb

Synonymnoun

Synonymnoun

Related words aren’t always interchangeable. Check the definition before you choose.

MEANING & USAGE

Definitions & examples

01noun

neckwear consisting of a long narrow piece of material worn (mostly by men) under a collar and tied in knot at the front

“he stood in front of the mirror tightening his necktie”

“he wore a vest and tie”

02noun

a social or business relationship

“a valuable financial affiliation”

“he was sorry he had to sever his ties with other members of the team”

03noun

equality of score in a contest

04noun

a horizontal beam used to prevent two other structural members from spreading apart or separating

“he nailed the rafters together with a tie beam”

14 more meanings

05noun

a fastener that serves to join or connect

“the walls are held together with metal links placed in the wet mortar during construction”

06noun

the finish of a contest in which the score is tied and the winner is undecided

“the game ended in a draw”

“their record was 3 wins, 6 losses and a tie”

07noun

(music) a slur over two notes of the same pitch; indicates that the note is to be sustained for their combined time value

08noun

one of the cross braces that support the rails on a railway track

“the British call a railroad tie a sleeper”

09noun

a cord (or string or ribbon or wire etc.) with which something is tied

“he needed a tie for the packages”

10verb

fasten or secure with a rope, string, or cord

“They tied their victim to the chair”

11verb

finish a game with an equal number of points, goals, etc.

“The teams drew a tie”

12verb

limit or restrict to

“I am tied to UNIX”

“These big jets are tied to large airports”

13verb

connect, fasten, or put together two or more pieces

“Can you connect the two loudspeakers?”

“Tie the ropes together”

14verb

form a knot or bow in

“tie a necktie”

15verb

create social or emotional ties

“The grandparents want to bond with the child”

16verb

perform a marriage ceremony

“The minister married us on Saturday”

“We were wed the following week”

17verb

make by tying pieces together

“The fishermen tied their flies”

18verb

unite musical notes by a tie

Meanings and examples from Open English WordNet 2025. About our sources ↗

PUT IT INTO A PHRASE

Expressions with “tie”

All 21 entries ↗

Explore multiword dictionary entries containing this word. Each has its own meanings and related words.

tie in tie up bow tie cup tie tie rod bola tie bolo tie tie beam