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
Andy Rose, CNN Money, 14 May 2026
Her husband came home to find that she had been tied up with electrical cord, raped and strangled.
—Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 13 May 2026
Troopers said the kitten, estimated to be six to eight weeks old, was tied up in a black disposable bag.
—Madeline Bartos, CBS News, 12 May 2026
Place a bowl of coffee grounds in the offending area (or, in the case of your shoes, place dry grounds in an old sock or cloth tied up and leave overnight inside the shoe) and let the grounds absorb unpleasant odors, says Rocky Vuong, founder of Calibre Cleaning Unlimited.
—Alexandra Kelly, Martha Stewart, 9 May 2026
Courts have blocked key parts of the president’s 2025 executive order, and the president’s most recent order on mail-in voting remains tied up in litigation.
—Caleb Groves, AJC.com, 7 May 2026
Chase Sui Wonders has her semi-sheer lavender look all tied up in a bow.
—Brendan Le, PEOPLE, 4 May 2026
What drew Stevens to the part and project is that the monster is tied up in very human emotions and actions.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 4 May 2026
Officers should be focused on real public safety work, not tied up with administrative tasks.
—Teresa Liu, Daily News, 4 May 2026
Verb
But the twists of their saga, as laid out this week in a federal indictment, are closer to a horror story – with pistol-whipping, lives threatened and people tied up in their own homes.
—Andy Rose, CNN Money, 14 May 2026
Her husband came home to find that she had been tied up with electrical cord, raped and strangled.
—Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 13 May 2026
Troopers said the kitten, estimated to be six to eight weeks old, was tied up in a black disposable bag.
—Madeline Bartos, CBS News, 12 May 2026
Place a bowl of coffee grounds in the offending area (or, in the case of your shoes, place dry grounds in an old sock or cloth tied up and leave overnight inside the shoe) and let the grounds absorb unpleasant odors, says Rocky Vuong, founder of Calibre Cleaning Unlimited.
—Alexandra Kelly, Martha Stewart, 9 May 2026
Courts have blocked key parts of the president’s 2025 executive order, and the president’s most recent order on mail-in voting remains tied up in litigation.
—Caleb Groves, AJC.com, 7 May 2026
Chase Sui Wonders has her semi-sheer lavender look all tied up in a bow.
—Brendan Le, PEOPLE, 4 May 2026
What drew Stevens to the part and project is that the monster is tied up in very human emotions and actions.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 4 May 2026
Officers should be focused on real public safety work, not tied up with administrative tasks.
—Teresa Liu, Daily News, 4 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tied-up
Adjective
-
The most active and engaged individuals, commonly referred to as fans, can also undertake activities relative to creation and content production.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
21 May 2026
-
Do it because engaged teams stay longer, perform better and bring others with them.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2026
Verb
-
The original plan was to open the museum in 2020, but fundraising efforts were hampered by the 2017 Thomas fire, which destroyed hundreds of homes in the area.—
Deborah Netburn,
Los Angeles Times,
22 May 2026
-
Civilian drone activity has hampered firefighting efforts.—
Brandi D. Addison,
USA Today,
20 May 2026
Adjective
-
Pool service can be a bit slow during busy times, but once your perfectly prepared daiquiri arrives, all is forgiven.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 May 2026
-
The possible labor action has raised concerns about how the park could operate during one of the busiest travel periods of the year, particularly as schools begin letting out for summer break.—
Kelly McGreal,
FOXNews.com,
16 May 2026
Verb
-
The chaos that ensued has seen a clash of play styles, with some players trying to transcend their normal strategies and others falling victim to the same mistakes that have hindered their past quests for victory.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
15 May 2026
-
White had hoped to have a college athlete career playing basketball and lacrosse but was hindered by injuries and several surgeries on her knees.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 May 2026
Adjective
-
There’s yet another reason to be diligent with your daily SPF.—
Kara Nesvig,
Allure,
14 May 2026
-
In the end, after a monthslong investigation and diligent forensic work, partial remains of 70 of the 110 victims were identified and returned to family members who, to this day, carry the pain of that day in 1996.—
Hank Tester,
CBS News,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
Goalkeeper Bernd Leno was the victim both times, impeded by Kevin Schade and then Igor Thiago.—
Anantaajith Raghuraman,
New York Times,
14 May 2026
-
In the Jazz Age, the culture and the style that Bradley was soaking up every night were information that white performers craved, but which racial segregation impeded them from accessing.—
Brian Seibert,
New Yorker,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
The Sixers were embarrassed by the Knicks 144-114 in Game 4 in front of a New York-heavy crowd in South Philadelphia.—
Tom Dougherty,
CBS News,
12 May 2026
-
That this series has flipped on its head seemed almost impossible last Sunday, when the Celtics embarrassed Philadelphia in a Game 4 win on the Sixers’ home floor.—
Tobias Bass,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
Adjective
-
Bigelow was charged with possession of a firearm by a felon, discharging a firearm into an occupied dwelling, and two counts of assault with a deadly weapon.—
Julia Coin,
Charlotte Observer,
20 May 2026
-
Last month, Aws al-Nasaan, 14, was gunned down in broad daylight in the small Palestinian village of Al-Mughayyir, in the occupied West Bank.—
Kayla Hayempour,
NBC news,
17 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tied-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tied-up. Accessed 24 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
