tongue-tied

American  

[tuhng-tahyd] / ˈtʌŋˌtaɪd /

adjective

1. unable to speak, as from shyness, embarrassment, or surprise.

2. affected with tongue-tie.

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tongue-tied British  

adjective

1. speechless, esp with embarrassment or shyness

2. having a condition of tongue-tie

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Etymology

Origin of tongue-tied

First recorded in 1520–30; tongue + tie ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

tongue-tied

Even when she became tongue-tied and had to laugh her way out of it, her slips became endearing.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026

Make it five minutes,” the software would, in theory, be able to figure out what the tongue-tied person meant to say.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 30, 2024

Giamatti watchers may have a hard time imagining the actor tongue-tied.

From New York Times ● Jan. 7, 2024

Even on the first day of his exploratory committee launch, this tension left him tongue-tied.

From Slate ● Apr. 15, 2023

I sincerely had my doubts, considering how tongue-tied I got around them sometimes.

From "October Sky" by Homer Hickam