untie

untie — verb

1. to undo a knot or release something that has been tied by loosening the strings,

1.verbtransitiveB1
Definition

to undo a knot or release something that has been tied by loosening the strings, ropes, or laces that keep it closed or held together.

Example

Reuben bent down to untie his shoelaces before taking off his trainers.

collocation: untie + shoelaces

Ayesha tried to untie the tight knot in the string around the parcel.

collocation: untie + knot

Common collocations
  • untie a knot
  • untie shoelaces
  • untie a ribbon
  • untie a rope
  • untie a string
  • untie a tie
  • untie a parcel / package
  • tightly knotted
Synonyms
  • undo

    broader meaning — can apply to buttons, zippers, and fasteners, not just knots

  • loosen

    suggests making something less tight rather than fully releasing it

  • unfasten

    slightly more formal; covers buckles, straps, and clasps as well as knots

Antonyms
  • tie

    the direct opposite action — to form a knot or attach with string

  • fasten

    general opposite — to close or fix something in place

Grammar Patterns

untie + noun phrase (knot, shoelaces, ribbon, rope, string, tie, parcel)

Usage Note

Typically used with a physical object that has been knotted or tied — for example, a knot, shoelace, ribbon, or rope. The past participle untied can also function as an adjective (e.g., 'Your shoelaces are untied.').

Common Mistakes

I untied the door and walked in.
I unlocked the door and walked in.
'untie' is for knots and tied objects; doors are opened with keys or handles, not tied.

Word family

  • untied
    adjectiveB1
  • untying
    verb (present participle)B1
  • tie
    verbA2
  • tie
    nounA2

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

Untie specifically describes releasing something that has been knotted or tied with string, lace, or rope. Undo is the broadest of the group — it covers buttons, zippers, screws, packages, and even abstract actions (undo a mistake). Loosen means making something less tight without necessarily untying it fully; you loosen a belt without taking it off. Unfasten is more formal and applies to buckles, straps, clasps, and hooks as well as knots. Release suggests setting something free from restraint or grip (release a rope from a cleat, release a caught bird). For everyday use, untie is the right word when the object is literally knotted: 'He untied his shoelaces.' If the object is fastened by other means (a buckle, a button), use unfasten or undo instead.

undo ↗loosenunfasten ↗release ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • untie someone's hands
  • untie a knot

Prepositions

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

From Old English untīgan, formed by adding the prefix un- (meaning 'reverse the action') to tīgan ('to tie'). The word has kept its physical sense of reversing a knot or binding since the earliest written records.