# tie in knots

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/tie-in-knots
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To put (someone) in a difficult situation.

## Examples

- His confusing questions tie me in knots.
- The complex tax forms always tie me in knots when I try to finish them every April.
- The lawyer used a series of contradictory statements to tie the witness in knots during the long cross-examination.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.