as in mute
unable to speak because you are nervous or shy
She became tongue-tied whenever he was around. He gets tongue-tied in front of crowds.
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tongue-tied
Adjective
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Democrats largely did not speak her name, were mostly mute about the new sentencing memo, and none joined a protest outside the courthouse.—
David Weigel,
semafor.com,
1 Aug. 2025 -
On the left is a power button, a mic mute button, a textured metal volume knob, and a USB-C charging port, which doubles as the audio port for wired use.—
Aubrey Jowers,
PC Magazine,
31 July 2025
Adjective
-
In helicopter video taken by Air Maui Helicopter Tours in Lahaina and posted online the people aboard are largely speechless.—
Phil Helsel,
NBC News,
10 Aug. 2023
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Because his work, as is often the case, leaves us almost speechless.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
10 Jan. 2023
Adjective
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Her scream resonated with the one in my chest while also being incomprehensible and beyond me.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 July 2025
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Without answers, the grieving process was incomprehensible.—
Skyler Caruso,
People.com,
24 July 2025
Adjective
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As pompous actor Garry, Nehal Joshi aces the tough task of making his character’s halting, inarticulate speech sound authentic.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
12 July 2025
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My hands move around everywhere, my rhythm is very fast and inarticulate and often a bit wishy-washy.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
2 July 2024
Adjective
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And that a looser, messier, even seemingly incoherent set of choices with respect to point of view comes closer to the experience of consciousness, etc., something, something, non-Western narrative traditions, whatever, OK.—
Book Marks
July 17,
Literary Hub,
17 July 2025
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And the inevitable comparison doesn’t favor Bad Boy, whose often engaging but disjointed, tonally incoherent take on juvenile detention falls short of its focused and insightful predecessor.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
2 May 2025
Adjective
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At the same time, Cissie Graham Lynch, daughter of Franklin Graham and granddaughter of the late Rev. Billy Graham, is urging believers not to stay silent in the face of growing hostility, including in the United States.—
Jasmine Baehr,
FOXNews.com,
31 July 2025
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Grief said at the time that the law was silent on whether tickets could be ordered online but purchased in person from a licensed retailer on a player's behalf by a broker.—
John C. Moritz,
Austin American Statesman,
30 July 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Tongue-tied.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tongue-tied. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
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