1
a
: a line (as of rope or chain) by which an animal is fastened so as to restrict its range of movement
b
: a line to which someone or something is attached (as for security)
A crewman can clip the tether of his harness to the [safety line] and leave it clipped as he makes his way forward and aft.—
Michael A. Smith
Michael A. Smith2
: the limit of one's strength or resources
I'm at the end of my tether.
tethered; tethering
ˈte-t͟h(ə-)riŋ 
: to fasten or restrain by or as if by a tether
felt tethered to her desk until the work was done
Examples of tether in a Sentence
Verb
They tethered the horses in the shade.
The dog was tethered to the fence.
Recent Examples on the Web
Mike Bianchi, Orlando Sentinel, 13 Feb. 2025
It’s also believed that the deceased can become kami, with certain ancestral heirlooms serving as a tether.
—Kevin Chroust, Outside Online, 5 Feb. 2025
Sam Corbin, New York Times, 25 Feb. 2025
And Netanyahu is forced to concede that the war is over, and is tethered to a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
—Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 17 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tether
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Noun
The only tethers holding his head to his body were his neck muscles and spinal column, which came under enormous stress.
—Mike Bianchi, Orlando Sentinel, 13 Feb. 2025
It’s also believed that the deceased can become kami, with certain ancestral heirlooms serving as a tether.
—Kevin Chroust, Outside Online, 5 Feb. 2025
Verb
Modern trends seem invariably tethered to days gone by.
—Sam Corbin, New York Times, 25 Feb. 2025
And Netanyahu is forced to concede that the war is over, and is tethered to a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
—Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 17 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tether
Cite this Entry
“Tether.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tether. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tether
1 of 2 noun
teth·er
ˈtet͟h-ər
: a line by which something (as an animal or a balloon) is fastened so as to limit its range
tether
2 of 2 verb
tethered; tethering
ˈtet͟h-(ə-)riŋ
: to fasten or hold with or as if with a tether
felt tethered to my desk
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