tied in knots
In a state of confusion; in a difficult situation, in a bind.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“My stomach is tied in knots before the big exam.”
“The complicated legal contract left the small business owner feeling completely tied in knots.”
“Caught between conflicting loyalties and impossible demands, he found his thoughts tied in knots as he struggled to reach a final decision.”
- 01
balloon knot
The anus.
- 02
fit to be tied
Very agitated or distressed; also, very angry; enraged, furious.
- 03
get one's knickers in a knot
Synonym of get one's knickers in a twist.
- 04
get one's shorts in a knot
Synonym of get one's knickers in a twist.
- 05
have one's hands tied
To be powerless to act, to be thwarted.
- 06
Peckham Rye
[Cockney slang]tie
- 07
statistical tie
A situation in which the difference in popularity of two options in a poll is less than the margin of error.
- 08
tie in
To fit in or harmonize (with something).
Last updated August 10, 2026