What does guyed mean?
Guyed is the past tense and past participle of the verb guy, and it has two main senses. In nautical, engineering, and outdoor contexts, it means supported, steadied, or secured with a guy: a rope, cable, or line used to hold a structure in place. For example, a crew may guy a mast, and a wire may be described as guyed when it is held by guy lines. In informal usage, particularly in North American English, guyed means mocked, teased, or ridiculed. This sense usually implies friendly ribbing, though it can become unkind when directed at someone who is vulnerable or excluded. The word is pronounced /ɡaɪd/, rhyming with side and tide, and is easily confused in spelling with guided, the past tense of guide.
In technical and nautical use, to support or steady with a guy or guys; informally, to mock, tease, or ridicule.
"The riggers guyed the mast before raising the sail."
The technical sense is formal and specialist, while the mocking sense is informal and especially common in North American English.
Supported or secured by a guy or guy ropes, as in a guyed wire or guyed line.
"The guyed line kept the antenna stable in the wind."
A guy rope steadies a mast, while the slang meaning of guyed has people laughing at you instead.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Words that share this root
How guyed is actually used
The supporting or steadying sense is technical, especially in nautical, engineering, and outdoor-equipment contexts. The mocking sense is informal and may sound playful, teasing, or dismissive depending on the relationship between the speakers.
Easily confused with guyed
Guyed is pronounced like the sound of “guide” followed by -d, whereas guided means led, advised, or shown the way.