tongue-tied
Americanadjective
-
speechless, esp with embarrassment or shyness
-
having a condition of tongue-tie
Etymology
Origin of tongue-tied
First recorded in 1520–30; tongue + tie ( def. ) + -ed 2 ( def. )
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.
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
Heinicke, a 10-year NFL veteran, has spent the last three weeks learning the complex scheme that at first had him tongue-tied while calling out a play.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 20, 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
Jonathan, exhausted, tongue-tied, took a quick look about the group of faces.
From "The Fighting Ground" by Avi
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.
