TIES Synonyms: 116 Similar and Opposite Words

ties 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of tie

as in binds

to gather into a tight mass by means of a line or cord tied the newspapers into a bundle

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as in matches

to produce something equal to (as in quality or value) at the class reunion we learned that he had won the Nobel Prize in medicine—how could the rest of us tie that?

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ties

2 of 2

a situation in which neither participant in a contest, competition, or struggle comes out ahead of the other the competition for first place in the dessert division ended in a tie between the chocolate pecan pie and the walnut fudge tart

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as in links

a uniting or binding force or influence their marriage will serve to form a very strong tie between our families

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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 ties

Verb

But that also ties some kids’ savings to a single company’s fortunes. — Sydney Lake, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2026 If the amount of money provided by the state to school districts decreases because some children leave for private school, the legislature can adjust the Blueprint funding formula that ties funding to the number of students who attend a school. — Colin Pascal, Baltimore Sun, 8 Oct. 2026 What ties the films together, in Gu’s view, is first a matter of form. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 7 Oct. 2026 Osinski’s collection of Polish circus posters similarly ties the interiors to his family history. — Amira Hashish, Architectural Digest, 7 Oct. 2026 But being unfunny is less Digger’s problem than a story that ties itself in knots trying to be clever, as a completely unconvincing big twist alters the picture and opens a window to a grim future. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 29 Sep. 2026 The graphic motif is echoed on the laces, creating a refined visual continuity that ties every element of the sneaker together. — Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 23 Sep. 2026 The five field goals ties a single-game GHSA record held by six others, according to the Georgia High School Football Historians Association. — Todd Holcomb, AJC.com, 22 Sep. 2026 The indictment also ties the network to an assassination attempt in Lithuania, a Baltic country in Eastern Europe, and sabotage activities in other countries in the region. — Shirsho Dasgupta, Miami Herald, 16 Sep. 2026

Noun

Leong, who has deep ties to Malaysian-Chinese culture, drew on his own family’s traditions to shape the story. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 10 Oct. 2026 The United States is Taiwan’s most important international backer despite the lack of formal diplomatic ties. — Reuters, NBC news, 10 Oct. 2026 The Observer asked Coley about his ties to the McGregor family and Charlotte Immaculate. — Charlotte Observer, 10 Oct. 2026 Manich and Balthazar, who have a close relationship, have long been suspected in Haiti of having ties to the CIA, although such a connection was not raised in court. — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 10 Oct. 2026 Hochul has emphasized Blakeman’s ties to Trump — mirroring much of the Democrats’ national strategy for the midterm elections — hoping the president’s dismal approval ratings help sink her Republican foe at the ballot box. — Sagar Meghani, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2026 India is trying to balance its ties with Russia against its growing partnerships with the United States and other Western powers. — Hanna Arhirova, Arkansas Online, 3 Oct. 2026 While formally a candidate for European Union membership, Serbia’s accession process has stalled under Vucic, who maintains close ties with Russia and China. — ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026 The foster care community, with long ties to institutional care, has been slow to change. — Joseph Shapiro, NPR, 3 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for ties

Verb

Because microorganisms in water turn regular mercury into methylmercury, a toxic chemical form that binds tightly to fish tissue, the heavy metal accumulates to higher levels in aquatic animals.

— Sandee LaMotte, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2026
The Model Context Protocol’s authorization specification binds an access token to the server it was issued for and requires servers to reject tokens that were not.

— Dr. Aditya Vikram Kashyap, Forbes.com, 22 Sep. 2026

Definition of binds

Verb

But while the technical ambition is evident, the storytelling rarely matches it … even Chastain’s considerable talents can only do so much with material that doesn’t offer her character enough depth beyond her unsettling appearance.

— James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2026
That matches their longest streak since Babe Ruth led baseball’s winningest franchise to its first World Series title in 1923.

— Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of matches

Noun

Around 12,000 people with Trinidad and Tobago origins live in Miami-Dade and Broward counties, while direct air links support business travel, tourism and family connections.

— Panorama Media Ltd, Miami Herald, 8 Oct. 2026
Scientists are starting to uncover the links between being a night owl and some neuropsychiatric conditions.

— Ariana Eunjung Cha, Washington Post, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of links

Noun

As the fight wears on, money worries and the scrutiny of people around them chip away at the family’s income and its bonds.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026
The sharp selloff in bonds has given investors a rare opportunity to lock in stock-market-like returns without taking on the risk that comes with equities, investment advisors to the ultra-wealthy told CNBC.

— Hayley Cuccinello, CNBC, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of bonds

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“Ties.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ties. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of ties

verb

noun

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