tether

1 of 2

noun

teth·​er ˈte-t͟hər How to pronounce tether (audio)
1
a
: a line (as of rope or chain) by which an animal is fastened so as to restrict its range of movement
b
: a line to which someone or something is attached (as for security)
A crewman can clip the tether of his harness to the [safety line] and leave it clipped as he makes his way forward and aft.Michael A. Smith
2
: the limit of one's strength or resources
I'm at the end of my tether.

tether

2 of 2

verb

tethered; tethering ˈte-t͟h(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce tether (audio)

transitive verb

: to fasten or restrain by or as if by a tether
felt tethered to her desk until the work was done

Examples of tether in a Sentence

Verb They tethered the horses in the shade. The dog was tethered to the fence.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Noun
Some companies have been working on tethers, essentially long metal strips that would fly behind satellites and convert their kinetic energy into electrical energy, slowing the satellite and sending it downward. Sarah Scoles, Scientific American, 28 Oct. 2024 Additionally, it can be lowered on tethers or mounted on poles for strategic placement. Kurt Knutsson, Cyberguy Report, Fox News, 25 Sep. 2024
Verb
But Republicans also propose statutory cost limits on future projects, essentially tethering them to market prices pegged to gas. Mark Pazniokas, Hartford Courant, 13 Jan. 2025 Others, like the radiation-tech program at Northern, are more likely to keep graduates tethered to Los Alamos. Abe Streep, The New Yorker, 27 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for tether 

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English tethir, teder, probably of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse tjōthr tether; akin to Old High German zeotar pole of a wagon

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tether was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near tether

Cite this Entry

“Tether.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tether. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

tether

1 of 2 noun
teth·​er ˈtet͟h-ər How to pronounce tether (audio)
: a line by which something (as an animal or a balloon) is fastened so as to limit its range

tether

2 of 2 verb
tethered; tethering ˈtet͟h-(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce tether (audio)
: to fasten or hold with or as if with a tether
felt tethered to my desk
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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