The TIR (Toll/interleukin-1 receptor) domain has been proposed to play a signalling role in resistance responses mediated by TIR-containing proteins. The functions of some TIR-domain-containing proteins have been defined in some plants; however, there has been no study evaluating TIR-domain-containing proteins in soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.). In this study, GmTIR was isolated from soybean, and its functions under stresses were analysed. Analysis of tissue-specific expression patterns showed that GmTIR was strongly expressed in leaves and weakly expressed in the immature green beans. Treatments with Phytophthora sojae, salicylic acid, methyl jasmonate, abscisic acid, copper, salt and drought significantly increased GmTIR expression, and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid and low temperature caused slight increases. Compared with wild type expression, GmTIR overexpression in Arabidopsis thaliana led to a higher germination rate under both salt and drought stresses, but the root length of transgenic Arabidopsis was greater than of wild type plants only under salt stress. In response to the stresses, accumulation of proline in transgenic plants was also higher. The results suggest that GmTIR could be a positive factor for promoting the survival of plants under biotic and abiotic stresses.