as in engaged
involved in often constant activity
we'll be tied-up with work for the next several days
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in hampered
to create difficulty for the work or activity of
an accident is tying up traffic at 5th and Broadway
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 tied-up
Jon Coupal, Oc Register, 13 June 2026
For the night, the singer leaned upon one of her favorite beauty signatures—an immovable red lip, hair up in a fishtail braid, tied up with a team-colors blue and orange ribbon.
—Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 11 June 2026
As play streaked the other way and some Avs tied up Wild defenders, Kulak got himself in position to score the series-clinching goal.
—Shayna Goldman, New York Times, 10 June 2026
Five of the hostages had been tied up, said Sid Patel, special agent in charge of the FBI Sacramento field office.
—Dennis Romero, NBC news, 3 June 2026
Funding from the measures began distribution in 2025 after years of being tied up in legal cases and Alameda County saw a 13% drop in overall homelessness between 2024 and 2026, according to point-in-time counts.
—Chase Hunter, Mercury News, 3 June 2026
Patel said the 10 hostages were all employees of the superintendent’s office and that five of them were tied up during the roughly 12-hour standoff with police.
—Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 3 June 2026
Five of the 10 hostages were tied up during the ordeal, according to authorities, who noted that nobody was physically harmed.
—Christine Pelisek, PEOPLE, 3 June 2026
The study suggested officers previously tied up responding to ShotSpotter alerts could now prioritize other emergency calls.
—Asal Rezaei, CBS News, 3 June 2026
Verb
Both in terms of size, improvements, and location, even a small business operating on thin margins typically has a sizable portion of its assets tied up in real estate.
—Jon Coupal, Oc Register, 13 June 2026
For the night, the singer leaned upon one of her favorite beauty signatures—an immovable red lip, hair up in a fishtail braid, tied up with a team-colors blue and orange ribbon.
—Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 11 June 2026
As play streaked the other way and some Avs tied up Wild defenders, Kulak got himself in position to score the series-clinching goal.
—Shayna Goldman, New York Times, 10 June 2026
Five of the hostages had been tied up, said Sid Patel, special agent in charge of the FBI Sacramento field office.
—Dennis Romero, NBC news, 3 June 2026
Funding from the measures began distribution in 2025 after years of being tied up in legal cases and Alameda County saw a 13% drop in overall homelessness between 2024 and 2026, according to point-in-time counts.
—Chase Hunter, Mercury News, 3 June 2026
Patel said the 10 hostages were all employees of the superintendent’s office and that five of them were tied up during the roughly 12-hour standoff with police.
—Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 3 June 2026
Five of the 10 hostages were tied up during the ordeal, according to authorities, who noted that nobody was physically harmed.
—Christine Pelisek, PEOPLE, 3 June 2026
The study suggested officers previously tied up responding to ShotSpotter alerts could now prioritize other emergency calls.
—Asal Rezaei, CBS News, 3 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tied-up
Adjective
-
Gallup research published in June 2024 found that engaged teams produce 23% higher profitability than disengaged ones.—
Chris Rosenberg,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
-
Because there are going to be any number of ways to feel engaged with all the teams playing and staying in the area.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
In roughly half of the cases, dead foundation species hampered the ability of their living counterparts to reestablish, grow and survive after extreme events.—
John Kominoski,
The Conversation,
10 June 2026
-
Trump has often alleged rampant voter fraud that has hampered Republicans’ success, and his base has largely accepted these sentiments to be true, despite no evidence backing up his accusations.—
Kaitlyn Schallhorn,
Daily News,
9 June 2026
Adjective
-
These would be my nap companions, a busy hive of bees whose entrance was out the side of the cottage.—
Christine Sarkis,
USA Today,
13 June 2026
-
While guests can still order from their full beer menu, KC Bier said guests should expect a limited menu of food for matches during the brewery’s busiest hours, like on weekends.—
Katelyn Umholtz,
Kansas City Star,
13 June 2026
Verb
-
This low position is likely hindered by a reliance on offensive statistics that puts less value on Brind’Amour’s defensive abilities.—
James Mirtle,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
-
Smith, who played for the Missouri Tigers in college, rose to fame quickly after he was drafted into the NFL but his rise to stardom was hindered by a series of legal issues that included 10 arrests in nine years, according to ESPN.—
Deena Zaru,
ABC News,
16 June 2026
Adjective
-
So, that conversation was interesting given Adem’s diligent research and my memory.—
Jim Ryan,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
-
Some information has been presented in court filings or uncovered by journalists and by one especially diligent state legislator, Anna Eskamani, from Orlando.—
Eric Schlosser,
The Atlantic,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
They were said to have impeded its free movement, scratching and otherwise damaging the body work.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
11 June 2026
-
Trump advisers have said the South Korea trade deal will remain impeded until there’s a resolution over the Coupang issue.—
Eleanor Mueller,
semafor.com,
10 June 2026
Adjective
-
Remain out of the water due to hazardous swimming conditions, or stay near occupied lifeguard towers.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
15 June 2026
-
Sam Abu Haikal is the 13th child to be killed by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank so far this year, according to the Israeli human rights group B’Tselem, which has documented the killing of 236 children in the region by Israeli forces since the Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023.—
Jeremy Diamond,
CNN Money,
13 June 2026
Verb
-
But Americans don’t want to see the home team embarrassed.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
7 June 2026
-
Some fans weighed in on his outfit choice on social media, sparking conversations about if the actor might have embarrassed his wife.—
Juliana Ukiomogbe,
InStyle,
27 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tied-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tied-up. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
