tether
Americannoun
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a rope, chain, or the like, by which an animal is fastened to a fixed object so as to limit its range of movement.
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the utmost length to which one can go in action; the utmost extent or limit of ability or resources.
verb (used with object)
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to fasten or confine with or as if with a tether.
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Digital Technology. to use (an electronic device, usually a smartphone or tablet) to enable a wireless internet connection on another nearby device, often a laptop.
There's no Wi-Fi, so I'll have to tether my phone to my laptop.
verb (used without object)
idioms
noun
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a restricting rope, chain, etc, by which an animal is tied to a particular spot
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the range of one's endurance, etc
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distressed or exasperated to the limit of one's endurance
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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tethersimple
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tetherssimple
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have tetheredperfect
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has tetheredperfect
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am tetheringprogressive
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are tetheringprogressive
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is tetheringprogressive
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have been tetheringperfect progressive
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has been tetheringperfect progressive
Past
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tetheredsimple
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had tetheredperfect
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was tetheringprogressive
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were tetheringprogressive
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had been tetheringperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of tether
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English (noun); compare Old Norse tjōthr, Dutch tuier
Explanation
Both a verb and a noun, tether keeps things tied together, or is the tie itself. Remember, when you tether that chair to those balloons, use a strong tether. You don't want to drop from the sky because you tied them together using a cheap piece of rope. Think of the childhood game tether-ball. The ball is tethered to a pole by a tether. Tether usually refers to a rope or a chain, but it can also refer to an invisible bond or link. For example, the Internet can serve as a tether that links you to your pen pal in Germany. The love between a mother and her child keeps them tethered to each other for a lifetime. And whenever astronauts go for jaunts outside the space station, they tether themselves to the station using wires and a hook.
Vocabulary lists containing tether
The Cay
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"The Odyssey" by Homer, Books 19–24
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"Hitching a Ride"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
That said, the largest stablecoin issuer, Tether, was an even larger purchaser of gold in 2025, the ECB said.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 2, 2026
In February, the company received a $150 million strategic investment from stablecoin issuer Tether, establishing a gold-leasing facility to handle the logistical infrastructure for Tether’s gold-backed stablecoin offering.
From Barron's • Apr. 16, 2026
To make matters worse, stablecoin rival Tether announced it had hired a Big Four accounting firm to complete its first full independent audit, adding to chatter about the company’s potential U.S. expansion.
From Barron's • Mar. 26, 2026
Brandon Lutnick, its chairman, only joined Cantor in 2022 as a trader, and soon after spent months working in the Swiss offices of stablecoin giant Tether, a key business partner of Cantor.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 8, 2026
Penelope readied the Temporary Ostrich Tether she had fashioned out of the twine that had been left in the trunk, back at the cave.
From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
