What does untie mean?
Untie is a verb meaning to loosen or undo a knot, or to release something that has been fastened. It is most commonly used with practical objects such as ropes, shoelaces, parcels, and bows. The action implies freeing a material or practical constraint: “untie the rope” and “untie your shoelaces.” In figurative use, the word can describe resolving a complicated situation or disentangling an issue, as in “untie a knot” meaning to remove an obstacle to agreement. Untie is related to untangle, but it more directly evokes undoing a tie or knot rather than sorting out every tangled element. The word is neutral in register and common in both British and American English, though figurative uses are less frequent than physical ones. Its compact form makes it useful in practical instructions and in figurative discussion of obstacles and agreements.
verbTo loosen or undo a knot, fastening, or tie; to release something that has been held or fastened. It can also be used figuratively to mean resolving a complication or removing an obstacle.
- To loosen, undo, or release a knot, tie, fastening, or restraint.
- To resolve a complicated situation, disentangle an issue, or remove an obstacle to progress.
"She stopped to untie her shoelaces before crossing the field."
"He untied the parcel and found a handwritten letter inside."
"The ambassador's mediation helped untie the knot that had stalled the negotiations."
Untie does more than undo a knot: it releases whatever the knot had held captive.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does untie come from?
Untie was formed in English by combining the prefix un- with the verb tie. Tie descends from Middle English tien and Old English tīgan, ultimately from an Indo-European root associated with squeezing or fastening. The same root underlies related English words such as tight and tighten, while un- supplies the meaning of reversing or undoing the action of tying.
Related word forms
How untie is actually used
Untie is usually transitive, taking an object such as a knot, rope, shoelace, or package. Figurative uses are less frequent and often involve expressions such as 'untie a knot' or 'untie an impasse'; the word is neutral in both formal and informal contexts.
Easily confused with untie
Untie is the present-tense verb, while untied is the past tense and past participle, as in 'she unties the rope' and 'the rope is untied'.