How to pronounce tie
Say it like TY. Tie is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce tie. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- TY
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Tie pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- TYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
American vs British pronunciation of tie
American and British speakers say tie in essentially the same way: /taɪ/ in the US and /taɪ/ in the UK.
British respelling: TY.
What does tie mean?
- neckwear consisting of a long narrow piece of material worn (mostly by men) under a collar and tied in knot at the front“he stood in front of the mirror tightening his necktie”“he wore a vest and tie”
- a social or business relationship“a valuable financial affiliation”“he was sorry he had to sever his ties with other members of the team”
- equality of score in a contest
- fasten or secure with a rope, string, or cord“They tied their victim to the chair”
- finish a game with an equal number of points, goals, etc.“The teams drew a tie”
- limit or restrict to“I am tied to UNIX”“These big jets are tied to large airports”
Where does tie come from?
From Middle English teye (“cord, chain”), from Old English tēag, tēah (“cord, chain”), from Proto-West Germanic *taugu, from Proto-Germanic *taugō, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dewk-.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with tie
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of tie.
Questions about saying tie
How do you pronounce tie?
Say TY. The American pronunciation is /taɪ/. In British English it is /taɪ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in tie?
Tie is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: TY.
Do Americans and Brits say tie the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /taɪ/ and the British form is /taɪ/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.