Tied vs. Bound: Know the Difference
By Shumaila Saeed || Updated on December 25, 2023
Tied refers to attaching or fastening things together using rope or string, while bound implies being confined, restricted, or obliged to do something.
Key Differences
Tied usually means fastening or securing with a rope, string, or similar material. Bound, however, goes beyond physical restraint to include metaphorical or legal constraints, such as being bound by a contract.
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Nov 29, 2023
When something is tied, it typically suggests a temporary or easily reversible action. In contrast, being bound often implies a more permanent, significant, or obligatory state, like being bound by duty.
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Tied is often used in a literal sense, such as tying a knot. Bound can be used both literally, like hands being bound, and figuratively, like being bound by tradition.
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In sports, a game can be tied, meaning the scores are equal. Bound, in this context, is not applicable as it doesn't relate to competition or scoring.
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Tied also has positive connotations, like being tied in a relationship, which suggests connection and commitment. Bound, while it can imply commitment, often carries a sense of compulsion or restriction.
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Nov 29, 2023
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Comparison Chart
Context
Physical tying, equal scores in sports
Physical confinement, legal/moral obligations
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Tied and Bound Definitions
Bound
To leap forward or upward; jump; spring
The dog bounded over the gate.
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Oct 19, 2023
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Tied
Joined or linked
The two companies are tied by a partnership agreement.
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Nov 29, 2023
Bound
To spring back from a surface; rebound
The basketball bounded off the backboard.
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Oct 19, 2023
Tied
To fasten or secure with or as if with a cord, rope, or strap
Tied the kite to a post.
Tie up a bundle.
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Oct 19, 2023
Bound
To set a limit to; confine
A high wall that bounded the prison yard.
Lives that were bounded by poverty.
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Oct 19, 2023
Tied
To fasten by drawing together the parts or sides and knotting with strings or laces
Tied her shoes.
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Oct 19, 2023
Bound
To constitute the boundary or limit of
A city park that was bounded by busy streets.
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Oct 19, 2023
Tied
To confine or restrict as if with cord
Duties that tied him to the office.
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Oct 19, 2023
Tied
To bring together in relationship; connect or unite
Friends who were tied by common interests.
People who are tied by blood or marriage.
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Oct 19, 2023
Bound
A springing back from a surface after hitting it; a bounce
Caught the ball on the bound.
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Oct 19, 2023
Tied
To equal an opponent's score in (a contest)
Tied the game with minutes remaining.
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Oct 19, 2023
Bound
Often bounds A boundary; a limit
Our joy knew no bounds. Your remarks exceed the bounds of reason.
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Oct 19, 2023
Bound
Bounds The territory on, within, or near limiting lines
The bounds of the kingdom.
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Oct 19, 2023
Bound
Determined; resolved
Many public policy students are bound to be politicians one day.
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Oct 19, 2023
Bound
(Linguistics) Being a form, especially a morpheme, that cannot stand as an independent word, such as a prefix or suffix.
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Oct 19, 2023
Tied
One of the timbers or slabs of concrete laid across a railroad bed to support the rails.
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Oct 19, 2023
Tied
An equality of scores, votes, or performance in a contest
The election ended in a tie.
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Bound
Headed or intending to head in a specified direction
Commuters bound for home.
A south-bound train.
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Oct 19, 2023
Bound
Simple past tense and past participle of bind
I bound the splint to my leg.
I had bound the splint with duct tape.
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Oct 19, 2023
Tied
(Music)A curved line above or below two notes of the same pitch, indicating that the tone is to be sustained for their combined duration.
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Oct 19, 2023
Bound
To surround a territory or other geographical entity; to form the boundary of.
France, Portugal, Gibraltar and Andorra bound Spain.
Kansas is bounded by Nebraska on the north, Missouri on the east, Oklahoma on the south and Colorado on the west.
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Tied
Closely connected or associated.
As a couple, they are strongly tied to one another.
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Oct 19, 2023
Bound
(intransitive) To leap, move by jumping.
The rabbit bounded down the lane.
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Oct 19, 2023
Tied
Provided for use by an employer for as long as one is employed, often with restrictions on the conditions of use.
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Oct 19, 2023
Bound
To cause to rebound; to throw so that it will rebound; to bounce.
To bound a ball on the floor
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Tied
(archeology) Having walls that are connected in a few places by a single stone overlapping from one wall to another.
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Tied
(philately) a cover having a stamp where the postmark cancellation overlaps the stamp.
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Oct 19, 2023
Tied
Bound or secured closely;
The guard was found trussed up with his arms and legs securely tied
A trussed chicken
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Tied
Bound together by or as if by a strong rope; especially as by a bond of affection;
People tied by blood or marriage
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Oct 19, 2023
Bound
Ready to start or go (to); moving in the direction (of).
Which way are you bound?
Is that message bound for me?
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Oct 19, 2023
Bound
(with infinitive) Very likely (to), certain to
They were bound to come into conflict eventually.
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Bound
A boundary, the border which one must cross in order to enter or leave a territory.
I reached the northern bound of my property, took a deep breath and walked on.
Somewhere within these bounds you may find a buried treasure.
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Oct 19, 2023
Bound
(mathematics) A value which is known to be greater or smaller than a given set of values.
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Bound
A sizeable jump, great leap.
The deer crossed the stream in a single bound.
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Oct 19, 2023
Bound
The external or limiting line, either real or imaginary, of any object or space; that which limits or restrains, or within which something is limited or restrained; limit; confine; extent; boundary.
He hath compassed the waters with bounds.
On earth's remotest bounds.
And mete the bounds of hate and love.
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Oct 19, 2023
Bound
To limit; to terminate; to fix the furthest point of extension of; - said of natural or of moral objects; to lie along, or form, a boundary of; to inclose; to circumscribe; to restrain; to confine.
Where full measure only bounds excess.
Phlegethon . . .Whose fiery flood the burning empire bounds.
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Bound
To move with a sudden spring or leap, or with a succession of springs or leaps; as the beast bounded from his den; the herd bounded across the plain.
Before his lord the ready spaniel bounds.
And the waves bound beneath me as a steedThat knows his rider.
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Bound
To cause to rebound; to throw so that it will rebound; as, to bound a ball on the floor.
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Bound
Constrained or compelled; destined; certain; - followed by the infinitive; as, he is bound to succeed; he is bound to fail.
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Bound
Ready or intending to go; on the way toward; going; - with to or for, or with an adverb of motion; as, a ship is bound to Cadiz, or for Cadiz.
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Oct 19, 2023
Bound
Move forward by leaps and bounds;
The horse bounded across the meadow
The child leapt across the puddle
Can you jump over the fence?
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Bound
Place limits on (extent or access);
Restrict the use of this parking lot
Limit the time you can spend with your friends
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Bound
Spring back; spring away from an impact;
The rubber ball bounced
These particles do not resile but they unite after they collide
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Bound
Held with another element, substance or material in chemical or physical union
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Bound
Secured with a cover or binding; often used as a combining form;
Bound volumes
Leather-bound volumes
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Bound
(usually followed by `to') governed by fate;
Bound to happen
An old house destined to be demolished
He is destined to be famous
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Bound
Covered or wrapped with a bandage;
The bandaged wound on the back of his head
An injury bound in fresh gauze
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Bound
Headed or intending to head in a certain direction; often used as a combining form as in `college-bound students';
Children bound for school
A flight destined for New York
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Bound
Obliged by law, duty, or circumstances
She felt bound by her promises.
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Nov 29, 2023
Repeatedly Asked Queries
Can objects be tied in a metaphorical sense?
Yes, metaphorically tying can imply connections or associations.
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Nov 29, 2023
Can 'tied' imply emotional connections?
Yes, 'tied' can symbolize emotional or relational attachments.
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Does 'bound' imply a stronger commitment than 'tied'?
Often, yes. 'Bound' suggests a more significant or obligatory commitment.
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Nov 29, 2023
Can a person be physically bound?
Yes, in the literal sense, it means being physically restrained.
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Nov 29, 2023
Do 'tied' and 'bound' have similar origins?
Their origins differ, with 'tied' from 'tie' (Old English) and 'bound' from 'bind' (Germanic).
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Is 'tied up' a phrase indicating busyness?
Yes, it implies being occupied or engaged with something.
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Are 'tied' and 'bound' interchangeable in sports?
No, 'tied' is specific to equal scores, while 'bound' doesn't apply in this context.
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Nov 29, 2023
Is 'bound' always negative?
Not always. 'Bound' can imply obligation, but also commitment and determination.
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Nov 29, 2023
Is being tied to a job a common expression?
Yes, it implies being closely connected or obligated to a job.
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Nov 29, 2023
How do 'tied' and 'bound' differ in legal contexts?
'Tied' is less common legally, while 'bound' is often used to describe legal obligations.
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Nov 29, 2023
Can a decision be tied to consequences?
Yes, implying that actions are connected to or result in certain outcomes.
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Can 'tied' refer to a tied vote?
Yes, indicating an equal number of votes in an election or decision.
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Can 'bound' refer to a future action?
Yes, such as in "bound to happen," implying inevitability.
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Can countries be bound by treaties?
Yes, in the sense of legal or diplomatic obligations.
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Can 'bound' indicate a book's physical feature?
Yes, referring to how the book is covered or held together.
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Nov 29, 2023
Does 'bound' imply a degree of coercion?
It can, especially in contexts of obligations or constraints.
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Nov 29, 2023
Can 'tied' be used in financial contexts?
Yes, like assets being tied up in investments.
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Nov 29, 2023
Is 'bound' used in transportation contexts?
Yes, often indicating the direction or destination of a journey.
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Nov 29, 2023
Can 'bound' be used in the context of destiny?
Yes, suggesting a path or fate that is seemingly predetermined.
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Nov 29, 2023
Does 'bound' have a spiritual connotation?
It can, in contexts like being bound by faith or religious beliefs.
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Nov 29, 2023
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About Author
Written by
Shumaila SaeedShumaila Saeed, an expert content creator with 6 years of experience, specializes in distilling complex topics into easily digestible comparisons, shining a light on the nuances that both inform and educate readers with clarity and accuracy.
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