Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
to tie-dye

to tie-dye

2 3.9
To make bright, uneven patterns on fabric by folding and tying parts then adding color
  • verb
  • /ˈtaɪˌdaɪ/
translation icon : atrapar y teñir
  • But a good family man, as they say: a brood of children and an artsy wife who tie-dyed all the livelong day.
  • tie-dyed shirt
  • tie-dyed tank
  • tie-dyed top

So like this is not white, but this is one that I'm going to like bleach tie dye because I feel like that would look really, really cool.

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • The results of this first attempt at tie-dyeing leather were mixed.

    Blog text (14)

  • We've been getting into tie-dying a lot and all this pandemic stuff.

    Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022)

  • The whole sack is decorated with a black tie-dyed pattern.

    Academic text (1994)

  • You can always tie-dye the elastic for fun colors too!

    Blog text (12)

  • One of my favorite DIY projects is tie dye, and I love to do it with Writ Dye.

  • Tie-dyeing your undies?

    Bad Dreams (1988)

  • I decided to tie-dye my old white shirt to give it a unique look.

  • We spent the afternoon tie-dyeing T-shirts for the upcoming festival.

  • After learning how to tie-dye, I created colorful patterns on several pieces of fabric.

Synonyms

to hand-dye
vsto tie-dye
1 5.7

To color fabric or yarn by hand to make different shades

uses tying to make irregular patterns rather than general manual coloring
to batik
vsto tie-dye
  • Specialized
9.0

To dye cloth by using wax on parts to make patterns

uses tying and folding to produce irregular dyed patterns

How Patterned

to batik
  • Specialized
9.0
print
62 4.1
to tie-dye
2 3.9
to handcolor
  • Archaic
8.1
dye
85 2.0

Surface Forms

tie-dye infinitive
tie-dyed past
tie-dyed past participle
tie-dying present participle
tie-dyes third person singular

Morphology

tie-dye = tie + dye (transparent) = tie + dye

The meaning is a direct combination of 'tie' and 'dye' (tying fabric and dyeing it), which is easily inferred by learners who know the base verbs.

Etymology

Tie-dye comes from the simple actions tie and dye: you 'tie' parts of the cloth and then 'dye' it, so the tied areas stay lighter and create bold, irregular patterns. That's why tie-dye means dyeing fabric after tying it to make bright, swirling designs.